COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M Aggies were honored for their scholastic endeavors as they garnered the United Soccer Coaches (formerly National Soccer Coaches Association of America) Team Academic Award. The organization announced its list of honorees for the 2017-18 academic year Thursday.
"It says a lot about the quality of the people we have on this team," head coach G Guerrieri said. "The players continue to make us proud with their work in the classroom. This is an important honor because it's an academic award and it's a team award. We embrace both of those things in our program, so it is great for them to be recognized for it."
For a team to be considered for the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award, it must have a composite team GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for all team members who appeared on the official NCAA roster forms for the fall season (2017). Coach Guerrieri's squad earned the award for the seventh consecutive year and the ninth overall, logging a 3.24 GPA for Fall 2017 and Spring 2018.
Texas A&M's scholastic standing was spearheaded by outstanding performances in the classroom by then-seniors Stephanie Malherbe and McKayla Paulson who earned United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-West Region and CoSIDA Academic All-District VII, respectively. Qualifications to be nominated for CoSIDA Academic All-America include being appearing in at least 50 percent of the team's games, being enrolled in class at Texas A&M for at least one year and owning a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher. This year's candidates for Academic All-America honors include Emily Bates, Kate Hajdu, Jimena Lopez and Grace Piper.
The Aggies' academic stature has been steadily growing in prominence. In 2014, Shea Groom earned CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team status. That season, Groom and Meghan Streight earned NSCAA Scholar All-America First Team recognition for the second consecutive year. Texas A&M and UCLA were the only teams to have multiple players selected to the 12-player first-team. Texas A&M had five players earn NSCAA Scholar All-South Region Team distinction, the only squad with more than three designees in 2014. Groom, Annie Kunz and Streight were named to the NSCAA All-South Region First Team, Janae Cousineau was named to the Second Team and Leigh Edwards was selected for the Third Team. Hajdu garnered COSIDA Academic All-District VII accolades in 2016.
Texas A&M wrapped up the 2017 season with a program best winning percentage (.864) on 18-2-2 mark. The Aggies earned a bid to their 23rd consecutive NCAA Championship and advanced to the second round of the tournament for the 19th straight season.
"It says a lot about the quality of the people we have on this team," head coach G Guerrieri said. "The players continue to make us proud with their work in the classroom. This is an important honor because it's an academic award and it's a team award. We embrace both of those things in our program, so it is great for them to be recognized for it."
For a team to be considered for the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award, it must have a composite team GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for all team members who appeared on the official NCAA roster forms for the fall season (2017). Coach Guerrieri's squad earned the award for the seventh consecutive year and the ninth overall, logging a 3.24 GPA for Fall 2017 and Spring 2018.
Texas A&M's scholastic standing was spearheaded by outstanding performances in the classroom by then-seniors Stephanie Malherbe and McKayla Paulson who earned United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-West Region and CoSIDA Academic All-District VII, respectively. Qualifications to be nominated for CoSIDA Academic All-America include being appearing in at least 50 percent of the team's games, being enrolled in class at Texas A&M for at least one year and owning a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher. This year's candidates for Academic All-America honors include Emily Bates, Kate Hajdu, Jimena Lopez and Grace Piper.
The Aggies' academic stature has been steadily growing in prominence. In 2014, Shea Groom earned CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team status. That season, Groom and Meghan Streight earned NSCAA Scholar All-America First Team recognition for the second consecutive year. Texas A&M and UCLA were the only teams to have multiple players selected to the 12-player first-team. Texas A&M had five players earn NSCAA Scholar All-South Region Team distinction, the only squad with more than three designees in 2014. Groom, Annie Kunz and Streight were named to the NSCAA All-South Region First Team, Janae Cousineau was named to the Second Team and Leigh Edwards was selected for the Third Team. Hajdu garnered COSIDA Academic All-District VII accolades in 2016.
Texas A&M wrapped up the 2017 season with a program best winning percentage (.864) on 18-2-2 mark. The Aggies earned a bid to their 23rd consecutive NCAA Championship and advanced to the second round of the tournament for the 19th straight season.