KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Simmons University women's soccer team has been named a recipient of the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for the 2017-18 academic year it was announced by the USC. The honor is given annually to soccer programs throughout the United States for exemplary performance in the classroom as a team.
College Team Academic Award recipients are active members of the United Soccer Coaches College Services Program with a composite grade point average of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale for all players on the roster.
A total of 773 college teams (289 men, 484 women) earned the Team Academic Award.
The Sharks posted a 3.64 grade point average to rank as the ninth-highest GPA among NCAA Division III schools and within the top six percent of all collegiate programs at the Division I, II and III levels. Simmons earned the highest team-GPA of any school in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. The Sharks have received the Team Academic Award 12 straight years for the 11th-longest streak in Division III and 15 times overall for the 26th-most among NCAA Division III programs.
The Sharks boasted 19 soccer student-athletes with a 3.50 GPA or higher, including a pair with a perfect 4.0.
USC annually celebrates the academic achievements of high school and college soccer teams whose student-athletes collectively demonstrate a commitment to excellence in their studies over the course of a full academic year.
Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., United Soccer Coaches is the trusted and unifying voice, advocate and partner for coaches at all levels of the game. The largest community for soccer coaches in the world, uniting coaches of all levels around the love of the game and elevating the game through advocacy, education and service. To learn more, visit UnitedSoccerCoaches.org.
Simmons finished the 2017 season with an 10-7-2 record, including 6-4-1 in GNAC play. The Sharks advanced to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference semifinals before bowing out.