Men's Soccer: WVU Earns Academic Award

By Grant Dovey for WVUsports.com
December 02, 2011 04:10 PM

Marlon LeBlanc

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University men’s soccer team earned an NSCAA Team Academic Award for its team grade point average (GPA) for the 2010-11 academic year, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) announced today.

The Mountaineers, who earned the award for the fourth-straight season, are one of 219 soccer teams in all divisions to have achieved at least a 3.0 GPA. WVU was one of only eight BIG EAST teams recognized, with a 3.05 GPA.

"Five years ago the men's soccer program was sanctioned by the NCAA for APR shortcomings. However, today we are recognized for our fourth year in a row having a team GPA above a 3.0,” coach Marlon LeBlanc says. “The WVU soccer program has grown in to a nationally prominent program on the field and even more importantly, in the classroom. Our student-athletes hard work in the classroom, with the assistance of our academic counselor Stephanie White, is proof that you can be an elite Top 25 program on the pitch without having to sacrifice academic achievement. Congratulations to our entire program for this tremendous recognition."

WVU finished the season with an 11-8-1 record and made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the second-consecutive season.

Coach Nikki Izzo-Brown and the WVU women’s soccer team also won an NSCAA Team Academic Award, making West Virginia one of 153 schools in all divisions to have men’s and women’s teams honored.

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