EUGENE, Ore. – Two Beacons received NAIA Academic All-America Honors. Senior Rebecca Kuskie capped off an outstanding career with the most prestigious academic award possible as she was named to the Collegiate Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America First Team. Sophomore Ben Lovrod was named to the Collegiate Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America At-Large Second Team.
The 2023 Academic All-America teams, voted on by College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA), recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. A total of 33 student-athletes were named to the NAIA team from over 150 nominees on the All-District team. Kuskie is one of 12 individuals selected that boasts a 4.0 GPA.
Kuskie, a Psychology major from Winnemucca, Nevada, earned her second All-Cascade Collegiate Conference selection in Cross Country in the fall, and qualified for a repeat trip to the NAIA National Championships.
Lovrod, an exercise science major from Brush Prairie, Alberta, competed in all eight tournaments for the Beacons and owned an 80.5 stroke average. His season-best round of 72 came in the second round of the Multnomah Invitational on September 26. Lovrod is the first men’s golfer to be honored in nine years, since Calvin Green won his third straight honor in 2014.
Bushnell had 36 student-athletes earn CSC Academic All-District honors this season and Kuskie and Lovrod are the Beacons’ first Academic All-Americas since 2020.
About Bushnell University
Founded in 1895 Bushnell University helps students discover and answer God’s call on their lives. Devoted to offering a Christ-centered environment, Bushnell encourages students to grow in wisdom, informed by faith, and leading to lives of service. Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the University was founded by pastor-educator Eugene C. Sanderson and pioneer businessman and church leader James A. Bushnell.
Bushnell is the largest private university in Eugene’s vibrant University District. The University offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees for undergraduate and graduate studies through course formats on campus, online, and hybrid. More information about the University is available at www.bushnell.edu.
About Beacons Athletics
At Bushnell University, our focus is on developing the whole athlete: academically, athletically, and as Champions of Character. We are a Christ-centered athletic department, and He is central to everything we do. Above all else, we desire to give student-athletes the opportunity to forward their progress toward achieving a maturing identity in Christ.
By encouraging the pursuit of excellence in the classroom and on the field of play, we desire our students to honor the gospel of Christ. As a member of the Cascade Collegiate Conference, Bushnell University is affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). More information about the Beacons is available at www.bushnellbeacons.com.