The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) released Thursday morning the 2017-18 Academic All-District® Men's and Women's Basketball Teams. The teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. Northern State seniors Miranda Ristau and DJ Pollard were each named to the first team for district 7.
 
Both Ristau and Pollard are Biology majors at NSU, with Ristau holding a 4.00 GPA and Pollard notching a 3.97 GPA.  
 
Ristau led the NSIC averaging 20.4 points per game in league play, as well as 8.0 rebounds per game. She finished the year top-5 in field goal percentage (53.9), offensive rebounds per game (3.0), and blocked shots (2.1), and top-10 in rebounds per game (8.0) and free throw percentage (81.3). The Warner native sits top-25 in the nation in points per game and field goal percentage. She tallied five double-doubles in league play & scored double figures in 22 of 23 games. Ristau became a member of the Northern State 1,000 point club in the Wolves win over MSU Moorhead and sits ninth all-time in scoring with 1,398 total points. The senior also sits 15^th all-time with 651 total rebounds. She recorded a career high 35 points against St. Cloud State. Ristau has started all 29 games for the Wolves and leads the team in total points, scoring average, field goal attempts, field goals made, field goal percentage, free throw attempts, free throws made, total rebounds, rebounding average, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, and blocked shots. She was also named the NSIC Player of the Year this morning, and to the NSIC All-Conference first team and defensive team.
 
Pollard started all 31 games for the Wolves this season, and is averaging 12.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He is shooting 49.1 percent from the floor, 41.7 percent from the arc, and 80.9 percent from the foul line. The St. Louis Park native has tallied 26 game in double figure scoring this season, and 18 games shooting 50.0 percent or better from the floor. He finished the NSIC regular season 23^rd in scoring (13.3) and eighth in free throw percentage (82.2). Pollard ranks 20^th all-time in scoring at Northern State with 1,417 total points. He leads the team in total points, scoring average, and free throws made.
 
First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Team ballot, with first-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees to be announced in March.
 
The Academic All-District® teams include the student-athletes listed on the following pages and are divided into eight geographic districts across the United States and Canada. The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and College Division. The College Division includes all NAIA, Canadian, two-year schools, and other affiliations.
 
The Division II and III Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures, to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2017-18 DII and DIII Academic All-America® teams.
 
NCAA DIVISION II – DISTRICT 7 WOMEN'S (Great American, Mid-America, Northern Sun)
FIRST TEAM

Name	School	Yr.	GPA	Major
Michaela Barry	Nebraska, Kearney	Sr.	3.91	Elementary Education / Spec. Education K-6
Kori Bullard	Ouachita Baptist University	Sr.	4.00	Biology
Miranda Ristau	Northern State University	Sr.	4.00	Biology
Drew Sannes	MSU Moorhead	Gr.	4.00 / 4.00	Business Administration
Hailey Tucker	Southwestern Oklahoma	Jr.	3.86	Communications

 
NCAA DIVISION II – DISTRICT 7 MEN'S (Great American, Mid-America, Northern Sun)
FIRST TEAM

Name	School	Yr.	GPA	Major
Kevin Krieger	Minnesota State	So.	3.85	Accounting
Aitor Lopez-Breton	Ouachita Baptist University	Sr.	3.97	Computer Science
Jakob Lowrance	Central Missouri	Jr.	3.96	Sports Management
DJ Pollard	Northern State University	Sr.	3.97	Biology
Spencer Reaves	Central Missouri	Sr.	3.89	Physical Education
Brady Skeens	Washburn University	Sr.	3.68	Management & Finance