CHARLESTON, Ill. – For his dual excellence on the field and in the classroom, Adam Gartner of Eastern Illinois men’s soccer has received one of the most prestigious student-athlete honors – a spot on the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America team.

Gartner, a Third Team selection, is the second EIU men’s soccer player in as many years to be recognized. Classmate Mike Lewis became the program’s first CoSIDA-chosen Academic All-America honoree last fall. Lewis was on the ballot again this season after joining Gartner on the Academic All-District V team.

Gartner is currently also one of 10 finalists nationally for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, the first Panther and Missouri Valley Conference soccer player to make the cut. He is a three-time Academic All-District honoree and last season was selected as a Second Team Scholar All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

A senior finance major, the Iowa City native has compiled a 3.64 GPA through 92 completed credit hours.

Gartner is the 12th Panther of the decade, including the eighth since the beginning of the 2006-07 school year, to receive Academic All-America honors.

As one of the most consistent and versatile players in recent program history, Gartner started 57 consecutive games from November 2005 through October of this year. Only a yellow card accumulation suspension was able to snap the streak. He ranked second on the team in minutes (1,666) after going the distance in 17 of the 18 games in which he played.

He also lined up wherever he was needed, shuttling back and forth between midfielder and defender during his career. He started all but one game (the second contest of his freshman year) in which he saw action.

Gartner finished his four years as a Panther with eight goals and 18 assists, scoring twice and assisting on three other goals this fall. His career assist total ranks second in EIU’s Missouri Valley Conference era (1996-present) and ninth overall in the 45 years of the program.

Perhaps more importantly though, Gartner and his classmates led the Panthers to 33 victories during their careers. In 2006 and 2007, Eastern posted its first consecutive double-figure win totals since the late ‘80s.

Gartner was the lone Valley player recognized this fall. He was one of six players honored from District V, which encompasses schools based in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

The Academic All-America teams are selected by a board of representatives from CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America).