Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's Christa Matlack Repeats as NSCAA Scholar All-American
1/6/2011 7:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Jan. 6, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. – A year ago Bucknell women's soccer star Christa Matlack (South Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport) became the first student-athlete in program history to earn Scholar All-America honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), and Matlack has repeated the feat this season with a Second Team selection.
Two weeks ago Matlack joined teammates Kelsey Johnson and Amanda Citron on the NSCAA Scholar All-East Team, and Matlack went on to become one of 35 national Scholar All-Americans. She was the only representative from the Patriot League.
Matlack will be honored at the All-America luncheon at the NSCAA Convention in Baltimore on Jan. 15.
In addition to Matlack's honor, the Bucknell women's soccer program was honored with an NSCAA Team Academic Award for the 15th year in a row. The Bison compiled a team grade-point average of 3.56, which ranked ninth among all Division I programs.
Matlack had another banner year in 2010. She was named the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight campaign and was also named First Team All-Patriot League. Off the field, she was a First Team ESPN Academic All-District selection, and she was named to the inaugural Patriot League All-Academic Team.
A biology major with a 3.57 cumulative grade-point average, Matlack is doing research with a faculty member on the effects of in ovo vitamin E and corticosterone injections on lipid peroxidation, telomere length, post-hatch growth and behavior of newly hatched chickens. She was selected as a Student Ambassador by the Office of Development and Alumni Relations and also volunteers with the Lewisburg Head Start program.
This fall she led the team in goals (7) and points (17) and was tied for second in assists (3). Among the Patriot League leaders, Matlack ranked second in goals and third in points. She scored the lone goal in Bucknell's 1-0 win over Colgate that helped the Bison gain a share of the Patriot League regular-season title, and she also had goals in league play against Army and Lafayette. Army, which tied the Bison atop the league standings, allowed only one goal all season in conference play, and that was scored by Matlack.
Matlack will graduate as one of the top scorers in Bucknell women's soccer history. She ranks fifth in goals (32), fifth in points (78) and seventh in assists (14).
In 2010 the Bison went 5-2 against Patriot League competition (7-13 overall) and qualified for the Patriot League Tournament for the sixth straight year.
