Six members of the University of Rochester women's soccer team: senior Cece Vassallo, junior Eileen Harvey and sophomores Remi Cherkas, Claudia Ferreira, Hannah Nagashima and Natalie Santagelo, were named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District® Women's Soccer Team, as announced by CSC on Tuesday.
 
The 2025-26 CSC Academic All-District® Women's Soccer Teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes. To be nominated, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average, and must have competed in at least 90 percent or must have started at least 66 percent of an institution's contests.
 
Vassallo appeared in and started all 19 games for the Yellowjackets this season, playing a key role in URochester's midfield and offensive attack. Statistically, the senior played 1,067 minutes and tallied one assist and 12 shots (six on goal), finding Nagashima for the game-winner against No. 3 UChicago on Oct. 26. Earlier this year, Vassallo was also named one of Rochester's Lysle 'Spike' Garnish Scholar-Athletes.
 
A mechanical engineering major, Vassallo is a member of both Tau Beta Pi and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. In addition to being named a Garnish Scholar-Athlete, Vassallo was also named a Provost Circle Scholar as a junior, and is a three-time University Athletic Association (UAA) All-Academic honoree, and a two-time CSC Academic All-District selection. This past summer, Vassallo worked for a construction management company back home in Pennsylvania, while the Schnecksville, PA native has also volunteered with the Rochester City Soccer League, helping coach practices and games.
 
Harvey earned First-Team All-UAA honors this season, appearing and starting 17 games and playing nearly every minute before an injury knocked her out of URochester's final regular-season contest. In 1,435 minutes played, Harvey scored a goal on three shots (one on goal), scoring Rochester's opening tally against St. John Fisher in non-conference play on Sept. 16. The junior took over as Rochester's central defender to start the year, helping anchor a 'Jacket defense that held opponents to one goal or less in 14-of-17 contests and posted nine shutouts.
 
Off the field, Harvey is double-majoring in data science and business with a minor in math. The Vienna, VA native is a member of the National Student Data Corps and Women and Minorities in Computing, and received the Dean's Scholarship, in addition to UAA All-Academic honors this season. A two-time Dean's List recipient, Harvey interned with Secretariat International as an Analytics & Data Strategy Intern this past summer and volunteers with the Best Buddies Club and Parkinson Pals.
 
Cherkas played the second-most minutes among Rochester field players this season, appearing in and starting all 19 games on the Yellowjackets' back line. The sophomore took over a starting role on defense as a first-year and has started every game since, helping Rochester post nine shutouts this season. Offensively, Cherkas also contributed a goal and an assist on 20 shots (11 on goal), helping out on set pieces with both her legs and head.
 
The Voorhees, NJ native is majoring in business on the finance track, with a minor in economics. This year, Cherkas was named to the UAA All-Academic squad and has also done political science research with Professor Gerald Gamm. The sophomore also volunteers weekly back in New Jersey with a special needs basketball program, helping teach basic basketball skills and teamwork.
 
Ferreira played all but 10 minutes on the pitch for the Yellowjackets, seeing 1,400 minutes of action on URochester's defense, the most among 'Jacket field players. Appearing in and starting all 19 games, Ferreira dished out one assist and took three shots, one of which was on goal. Contributing both offensively and defensively, Ferreira helped the 'Jackets hold their opponents to a 0.89 goals against average.
 
A native of Gilette, NJ, Ferreira is a business major on the accounting track and a member of the Meliora Finance & Investment Group. This year, the sophomore earned UAA All-Academic honors, has also received both the Aaron Christopher Karol Scholarship and the Dean's Scholarship and was selected to the Dean's List last year. Back home in New Jersey, Ferreira volunteers for TOPSoccer, a soccer program for children with various disabilities.
 
Rochester's top offensive performer, Nagashima earned Second-Team All-UAA honors, leading the Yellowjackets with 12 points (4 Gs, 4 As) on 25 shots (16 on goal). The sophomore appeared in all 19 games, making 10 starts, and played 1,020 minutes, tallying a pair of game-winners in conference wins over No. 3 Chicago and No. 13 Brandeis. The Torrance, CA native also notched two assists in back-to-back non-conference wins against Nazareth and St. John Fisher, adding a goal against the Golden Flyers.
 
Away from the pitch, Nagashima is majoring in chemical engineering and was named UAA All-Academic this year. Following her graduation in two years, the sophomore plans on going to graduate school to study process engineering, while off campus and back home, Nagashima volunteers to coach young soccer players.
 
Santangelo started all 19 games for the Yellowjackets at the forward position, tallying three goals and four assists for a total of 10 points on 37 shots, 18 of which were on goal, in 1,176 minutes played. The sophomore scored the game-winner and added an assist vs. SUNY Cortland in the 'Jackets opener on Aug. 29, and added tallies in URochester's draws against RIT and at No. 4 CWRU, as well as assists at No. 25 NYU and vs. No. 13 Brandeis.
 
A Language, Media and Communications major with minors in business and Spanish, Santangelo writes for the Campus Times. This year, the sophomore earned UAA All-Academic honors, while the Alexandria, VA native has also received the Joseph C. Wilson Leader of Change Scholarship.
 
Academic All-District selections will be evaluated by a sub-committee and advanced to the national, All-America ballot, to be voted on by CSC members within their respective divisions.
 
The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes men's and women's soccer honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.