University of Kentucky senior Ilkka Jantti added to his ever-growing list of honors on Friday by being named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas Scholar All-America first team. Junior Antti Peltonen joined Jantti with his third-team honor. They are the first such awards for both players.

“It is no surprise to us that Ilkka and Antti have received this honor,” Coach Ian Collins said. “It is well deserved and is a testament to the quality student-athletes we have at the University of Kentucky.”

Jantti, who was named an NSCAA second-team All-American last week, has been a member of the Southeastern and Mid-American Conference Academic Honor Rolls since 1999 and was named to the Verizon Academic All-District First Team in 2000. He has been named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and the UK Dean’s List for three consecutive years. Jantti is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma National Business Honor Society and the Golden Key National Honor Society, and serves as president of the UK Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Peltonen, who was a first-team All-MAC selection, also makes his first appearance on the NSCAA Scholar All-America team.

In his spare time, Jantti volunteers his time as a mentor in the Big Buddy program at Maxwell Elementary school, as well as spending time at the Hope Center and the UK Children’s Hospital.

Peltonen, who was a first-team All-MAC member, has been a member of the SEC Honor Roll since the 2000-01 academic year. He has been on the UK Dean’s List three times since the 1999 fall semester and was a member of the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll last semester with a perfect grade point average.