Jason Kapusta Galietta named to Academic All-America® team 12/20/2023 12:00:00 PM GREENWOOD, Ind.--Westminster College senior Sophia Galietta (Bethel Park, Pa., Bethel Park) was named to the 2023 Academic All-America® Women's Soccer Team Tuesday afternoon. Established in 1952 and selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC), Academic All-America® is the longest running and premier award for athletic and academic success across championship college sports at all NCAA levels, the NAIA, two-year colleges and Canadian institutions. To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a sophomore academically, have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) and meet the athletic eligibility and competition requirements. A defender, Galietta claimed a spot on the Academic All-America® Second Team. On Nov. 22, she was named to the Academic All-District® team for the second-straight year. Only a select group of student-athletes advance from Academic All-District® submission status to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. Galietta was recognized by the United Soccer Coaches with a spot on the All-Region VII Second Team on Nov. 28. She was a Third Team All-Region pick in 2022 following Westminster's Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) title run. Voted the PAC's Defensive Player of the Year on Nov. 7, Galietta earned First Team All-PAC for the second time in her career (2022). She was honored as the PAC's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Scholar-Athlete of the Month in October. Galietta made starts in all 18 matches this season and was the centerpiece of Westminster's defensive backline that registered seven shutouts. Galietta added two goals and three assists last fall. A three-time All-PAC selection (2nd team, 2021), Galietta made starts in all 57 career matches played and helped the program post 31 shutouts (18 in league play) between 2020-23. Galietta is the fourth Westminster women's soccer player to earn Academic All-America® honors, and first since Raechel Pusateri in 2015. The senior fine arts and psychology double major maintains an impressive 3.97 cumulative GPA. She has been named to the Dean's List six times and the PAC Academic Honor Roll three times. Galietta is a member of Westminster's All-College Honors Program, has been the recipient of the Drinko Center Research Grant as well as the Clara Bruhn Memorial Scholarship. She is a member of the Pi Sigma Pi and Lambda Sigma honoraries, has served as president of the Psi Chi Honor Society and as a project manager with Westminster's Strengthening Positivity and Reinforcing Kindness (SPARK) Club. She has represented the women's soccer program as a member of SAAC and worked as both a peer tutor and a Titan Guide on campus. Galietta fulfilled an art internship requirement in the spring of 2023 at The Purple Cat, a day center for adults with disabilities located in Lowellville, Ohio, where clients participate in a wide range of vocational functions, creative projects and classes that develop daily-living skills. She collaborated with and guided individuals to create art projects. After completing her required internship hours, she returned to the organization as a paid intern. In the summer of 2023, Galietta fulfilled a psychology internship requirement at the Summer Treatment Program run by the Center for Children and Families at Florida International University. She worked with children with ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and Conduct Disorder (CD) as a paid intern. Galietta plans to attend graduate school to earn a master's degree in art therapy after earning her bachelor's degree from Westminster this spring. After receiving her certification, she intends to become a practicing art therapist. Print Friendly Version
