NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Six Vanderbilt soccer players were named Academic All-District on Tuesday afternoon. Caroline Betts, Mia Castillo, Rachel Deresky, Hannah McLaughlin, Alex Wagner and Sara Wojdelko all earned the recognition from College Sports Communicators.
The honors—presented by CSC (formerly CoSIDA)—advances four of the six to the Academic All-America ballot. To be named Academic All-District, student-athletes must possess a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average and start in at least 90 percent of matches or be a significant contributor to their team playing in at least 66 percent of contests.
Betts is as a double major in medicine, health and society and psychology. The Nashville, Tennessee, native was named to the 2023 CSC Academic All-District team. Betts is a four-time Dean’s List member and has been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll twice. This year, Betts has appeared in all 19 matches with 13 starts. The senior has posted career bests in every category this season with six goals and five assists for 17 points, second most on the team.
Castillo, named a team captain ahead of the 2024 season, has appeared in all 18 matches this fall. The senior has appeared in over 400 minutes on the pitch, a career-best total. The midfielder is a four-time Dean’s List member and has twice been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Out of Moraga, California, Castillo is studying economics and has posted six points in her career off two goals and two assists.
Deresky is majoring in human and organizational development. She has earned Dean’s List recognition on four occasions and was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll twice. The senior from Dunkirk, Maryland, started in every match this season and has been a major contributor by posting five goals and six assists for 16 points. Deresky was also named to the 2023 CSC Academic All-District team.
McLaughlin is a human and organizational development major. The Cumming, Georgia, native has been named to the Dean’s List three times and is a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll honoree. A pivotal member of Vanderbilt’s defense during the 2024 campaign, which has posted nine shutouts so far and has only allowed 13 goals by opponents. McLaughlin has appeared in 17 contests this year, all starts, and was a 2024 All-SEC First Team member.
Wagner graduated last spring with an undergraduate degree in human and organizational development and is currently working towards a master’s degree in marketing. The Atlanta native was named to the Dean’s List five times in her career and SEC Academic Honor Roll four times. She has been another important member of Vanderbilt’s defensive line during the 2024 campaign, contributing to nine shutouts.
Wojdelko is a six-time Dean’s List member and has been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll on four occasions. The goalkeeper has appeared in a career-best 15 matches so far this season, earning seven solo shutouts and two combined. The senior out of Northville, Michigan, is studying medicine, health and society. Wojdelko has made a career-high 38 saves and allowed only seven goals for a goals-against-average of 0.518, the 12th best in the country.
Betts, Deresky, McLaughlin and Wojdelko have been advanced to CSC’s Academic All-America ballot, with voting closing Nov. 26. The Academic All-America team will be released on Dec. 11.
