Linfield College women's soccer player Sydney Kuehn has been chosen as an Academic All-American, the College Sports Information Directors of America announced on Tuesday. Kuehn was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America second team.
 
Kuehn, a first team all-Northwest Conference honoree this fall, is the first soccer player in Linfield history to receive the coveted academic award.
 
Adding further distinction, Kuehn is the only women's or men's soccer student-athlete from the NWC this season to achieve CoSIDA Academic All-America recognition.
 
"We're extremely proud of Sydney's Academic All-America honor," said Linfield director of soccer Steve Simmons. "Of all the awards she's earned this season, to be recognized as one of our nation's best on the field and in the classroom is truly remarkable and another point of pride for Linfield soccer."
 
On the field in 2019, Kuehn finished second in the NWC with nine goals and tied for second with five assists and 23 total points. A senior forward from Duvall, Washington, Kuehn finished her Wildcat career ranking seventh all-time with 20 goals and ninth in program history with 49 points.
 
"It's definitely not always easy to balance school and soccer. I rely on my planner a lot and I try to schedule my time really efficiently so that I can make the most of every free moment I have outside of class and practice. I have always seen soccer as a reprieve from school when I can just enjoy myself, so I try to use that as a time where I don't have to think about my classes," said Kuehn.
 
In the classroom, Kuehn carries a 3.99 grade point average, highest among all Division III forwards. She is a pre-med major with plans of attending medical school after graduating from Linfield in the spring.
 
"After Linfield I am planning on going to med school. Right now, I am interested in oncology and am hoping to pursue that following medical school," said Kuehn.
 
"I have known Sydney for the past year and she is confident, hard-working, focused and helping," said Linfield biology professor Sreerupa Ray. "She is one of my best research students."
 
Kuehn becomes the first Academic All-America recipient from Linfield since 2017 when football linebacker Jake Reimer was chosen. Since 2004, 19 Linfield student-athletes have been honored as CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.