Air Force Academy

Air Force swimmer Matt Karmondy and wrestler Luke Lefever were both named to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® University Division Men's At-Large All-District VII Team as selected by CoSIDA and released Thursday morning. The 10 student-athletes selected to the first team advance to the national Academic All-America ballot.


There were 33 student-athletes nominated from District VII representing the sports of fencing, golf, ice hockey, rifle, skiing, swimming, tennis, water polo and wrestling. Five seniors and five juniors comprise the men's at-large all-district team. The combined grade-point average of this year's team is 3.76.

Karmondy, a junior from Colorado Springs, Colo., earns his first academic all-district honors this season. The aeronautical engineering major has compiled a 3.85 GPA over his first three years at the Academy. Appearing in every meet this season, Karmondy swam the seventh-fastest 1,650 freestyle time in school history at the Mountain West Conference Championships and earned second-team all-conference honors in the event. A two-time MWC Scholar Athlete and first-team All-MWC performer in 2004, he has been named to both the Dean's List and Athletics List every semester at Air Force. Currently, Karmondy is assisting NASA with research for an upcoming shuttle launch.

Lefever, a senior from LaCrosse, Wis., captures his second academic all-district recognition, having been named to the at-large all-district second team in 2003, when he finished as runner-up at the NCAA West Regional. A co-captain for the Falcon wrestlers in 2005, Lefever will graduate with a 3.67 GPA in civil engineering. This season, the 184-pounder put together a 23-17 record, including a 4-4 mark in dual action, despite missing the first part of the season following his second elbow surgery. Lefever, who wrapped up his career with an overall record of 72-45, was one of four Falcons to win an individual title at the Colorado Collegiates, helping Air Force to its first team title in the event since 2002, while also finishing as runner-up at the All-Academy Championships. In addition, he has been recognized for his overall achievement as an Air Force cadet, earning the Superintendent's pin for military, athletic and academic excellence.


2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® University Division Men's At-Large All-District VII Team
(as selected by CoSIDA)


First Team
Name (sport), Institution, Yr., GPA, Major, Hometown
Lucas Christianson (wrestling), North Dakota State University, Sr., 3.69, Biotechnology, Apple Valley, Minn.
Marek Gebicki (tennis), Montana State University, Jr., 3.98, Industrial Engineering, Lodz, Poland
Matt Karmondy (swimming), U.S. Air Force Academy, Jr., 3.85, Aeronautical Engineering, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Luke Lefever (wrestling), U.S. Air Force Academy, Sr., 3.67, Civil Engineering, LaCrosse, Wis.
Bryce Leonhardt (wrestling), University of Wyoming, Jr., 3.929, Secondary Ed.-Math, Casper, Wyo.
Matt Murray (wrestling), University of Nebraska, Sr., 3.796, Mathematics, Colby, Kan.
Dominik Schweiger (skiing), University of Denver, Sr., 3.57, Accounting/Finance, Wangle, Austria
Dan Silva (golf), University of Wyoming, Jr., 3.813, Economics, Littleton, Colo.
Brett Sterling (ice hockey), Colorado College, Jr., 3.54, Economics, Pasadena, Calif.
Matt Van Cleave (golf), Kansas State University, Sr., 3.763, Social Science, Maryville, Mo.