Thursday, December 14, 2006

Valparaiso University was one of just 11 schools in all of NCAA Division I to be the recipient of the Team Academic Award from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

The award, given annually to schools with a composite grade point average of 3.00 for the academic year, included both fall and spring semesters of a given year. Thus the award this year is for the 2005-2006 academic year.

This marks the fourth straight year the Crusaders have earned the honor in both men's and women's soccer.

Valpo's men's team had a 3.18 grade point average in 2005-2006, and was one of just two Mid-Continent Conference schools to earn the honor, joining Oakland University.

The Crusaders' women's team posted a 3.37 team GPA, joining Western Illinois University for the only Mid-Con women's schools to receive the accolade.

Besides Valpo, the only other Division I programs to have both their men's and women's programs honored by the NSCAA were Army, Binghamton, Dartmouth, Drake, Fairleigh Dickinson, Loyola (Chicago), Northwestern, Notre Dame, Western Kentucky, and Wisconsin-Milwaukee.