Danny O'Rourke (Columbus, Ohio) of Indiana University and Megan Kakadelas (Carlsbad, Calif.) of Santa Clara University have been named the 2004 NSCAA/adidas College Scholar Athletes of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Both earned first-team NSCAA/adidas Scholar All-America honors and were selected to the NSCAA/adidas All-America team, with O'Rourke a first-team selection and Kakadelas named to the second team. Both will be honored at the NSCAA All-America Luncheon, which will be held Saturday, Jan. 15, 2005, in conjunction with the 2005 NSCAA Convention in Baltimore, Md.
O’Rourke, a senior midfielder, has started every game he has played during his four-year career with the Hoosiers, concluding his career with his second consecutive NCAA title. He was a unanimous choice for this third first-team All-Big Ten selection of his career and is a finalist for the Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy. His selection marks the second consecutive year the men’s honoree also has been a finalist for the Hermann Trophy, joining Chris Wingert of St. John’s, the 2003 Hermann Trophy winner. Wingert is the only athlete to win both honors in the same year. Penn State's Joanna Lohman, the 2003 women's Scholar Athlete of the Year, also was a finalist for the Hermann Trophy last year.
Kakadelas, a senior forward, scored a goal 31 seconds into overtime that propelled Santa Clara to a third-round NCAA victory that denied North Carolina a trip to the Women’s College Cup for the first time ever. She led the Broncos in scoring with 21 points, including seven goals. After transferring from Southern California, she logged a total of 21 goals and 68 points in her three years at Santa Clara.
