CoSIDA Academic All-District Release (PDF)

EWING, N.J. – On Thursday afternoon, CoSIDA announced its men's basketball Academic All-District honorees. Randall Walko from the TCNJ men's basketball team earned CoSIDA Academic All-District recognition for the second consecutive year.

CoSIDA accepts nominations of student-athletes who carry at least a 3.3 cumulative grade point average and are significant athletic contributors.

Walko is a textbook definition of a student-athlete. He is a standout for the Lions both on the basketball court and in the classroom. Walko is a management major and has tallied a 3.51 grade point average.

"Randy is a special kid who is having a special year," said TCNJ head men's basketball coach Matt Goldsmith. "Most people only see what he brings on the court, but he works just as hard and is just as successful in the classroom. He is a leader on our team, in the classroom, and in the overall TCNJ community. We are very proud of him."

On the hardwood, Walko is putting forward an exceptional senior season. The Somerville, N.J. product is leading the New Jersey Athletic Conference in scoring with an average of 21.7 points per game. Walko is shooting an exceptional 46% from the field, 39% from three-point range, and 86.5% from the free throw line. He is also averaging 6.6 rebounds per game.

Walko is high up on a handful of all-time statistical lists in TCNJ program history. He currently ranks sixth all-time in points with 1,444 on his career. Walko is third in program history three-pointers with 185, and 11^th in rebounding with 510 boards.

With his selection to the Academic All-District Team, Walko is now eligible for Academic All-America voting. The results of that ballot will be announced in March.
 
CoSIDA began the distinguished Academic All-America program in 1952, and since then, has honored thousands of deserving student-athletes from numerous sports across all divisions with these elite Academic All-America scholar-athlete honors.
 
Currently, CoSIDA sponsors Academic All-America programs for men's soccer, women's soccer, football, volleyball, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, softball and men's and women's track and field/cross country. Many other sports are eligible through the At-Large program.

Walko has been a key part of TCNJ's success this season. The Lions are 17-8 and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. Walko and the Lions will host an NJAC semifinal on Feb. 26. They will face the winner of Rutgers-Newark and New Jersey City.