May 27, 2007

DeKALB, Ill. - Northern Illinois senior gymnast Jody Yednock (West Chicago, Ill./West Chicago HS) has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V Women's At-Large team, as selected the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Yednock, who completed her Northern Illinois academic career with a perfect 4.0 grade point average in mathematics, probability and statistics, was also an Academic All-MAC selection this year. She was a second-team Academic All-District choice a year ago and plans to attend graduate school in mathematics at the University of South Carolina.

NIU's top performer on the uneven parallel bars in 2007, Yednock competed in every meet on the bars and in 11 of 12 meets on the balance beam. She recorded five scores of 9.800 or better on the bars this season, including three season-best scores of 9.850. She tied for second on bars at the 2007 Mid-American Conference Championships and won the event at four meets. Yednock was an alternate selection to the NCAA South Central Regional on the uneven parallel bars.

"What Jody was able to accomplish academically at Northern Illinois while continuing to improve every year in the gym is a real tribute to her," said NIU Head Coach Mark Sontag. "To finish four years with a perfect grade point average while performing week after week at such a high level on both the bars and the beam takes a great deal of hard work. She is a great example of a true student-athlete."

As a first team Academic All-District selection, Yednock is now eligible for selection to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America team. Members of the women's at-large team can be nominated from any of 13 sports, while District V is comprised of schools in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Manitoba and Ontario. Student-athletes must be at least sophomores and have a cumulative grade point average above 3.2 in order to be nominated.

Yednock is the second NIU gymnast in as many years to earn first team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District honors. Last year, Huskie gymnast Ashlee Williams was selected to the District V team and went on to earn second team Academic All-America status.

-- NIU --