GALESBURG, Ill. — The College Sports Communicators (CSC) announced its Academic All-District Teams for men's soccer across each of the NCAA Divisions and NAIA, and Knox College had two juniors earn recognition for Division III in Emmanuel Mariano and Arito Nakamichi. 

A physics major out of Kanazawa, Japan, Nakamichi was second on the Prairie Fire with four goals in the 2024 season, three coming in the team's final six games of the year as Knox closed the season on a 4-0-2 run. That surge lifted the Fire into the third seed for the Midwest Conference Tournament, where the midfielder scored one of the team's goals in the semifinal game, a 3-3 draw with Illinois College. A member of the All-MWC Second Team, Nakamichi was named to the Academic All-Midwest Conference Team as a sophomore.

Mariano, a physics major as well from Manila, Philippines, played in every game this fall, starting all but one. His made his one goal on the season a good one — a game-winner in a 2-1 triumph over Coe College, earning Knox Male Athlete of the Week honors for his clutch score. A two-time Academic All-Midwest Conference honoree, Mariano also assisted on a tally in a 3-2 victory against Lawrence late in the year and was tied with Nakamichi for third on the team with 11 shots on goal.

To be considered for Academic All-District honors, a soccer player must be in at least a sophomore academically and athletically, have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and have played in at least 90 percent of their team's games or started at least 66 percent of the contests.

Nakamichi was also named a finalist and will advance to the national ballot for the opportunity to earn Academic All-America honors, voted on by CSC members. The first-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced on Dec. 11.