William Smith College's Julia Oak '14 was recently named to the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) 2014 All-Academic Sailing Team. Oak was one of 10 sailors from across the country to be named to the first team.
 
The All-Academic Sailing Team recognizes collegiate sailors who have achieved excellence in national and inter-conference competition and have excelled at the highest academic level for the 2013-14 academic year. A nominated sailor must have a minimum cumulative GPA of a 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale), junior or senior academic standing and they must be a key starter or reserve on a school's sailing team. The All-Academic Sailing Team began in 2006.
 
"This is a great honor for Julia," said Hobart and William Smith Colleges Sailing Head Coach Scott Ikle. "It represents her hard work and success as a student-athlete."
 
A member of the All-MAISA crew team, Oak competed in 17 regattas for HWS this year. She finished in first place in the A Division of the North Fall No. 1, helping the Colleges capture the team title. Oak also earned a first place finish in the A Division of the Jesuit Open guiding HWS to a victory. She was also a part of the HWS crew that won the Georgetown Team Race. In 2012, Oak earned the Christine Jurczak '00 Sailing Coach's Award after helping the Herons qualify for the ICSA Women's National Championship with a fourth place finish at the MAISA Women's Championship.
 
A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Oak graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in Asian studies and sociology. She is currently working as a teaching fellow at the YK Pao School in Shanghai, China.