KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The United Soccer Coaches announced its list of Team Academic Award winners on Thursday and the San Diego State women's soccer team was among those recognized for its exemplary performance in the classroom during the 2018-19 academic year.
"One of the things we have always stressed to our players, past and present, it that their number one goal at San Diego State is to earn a degree," head women's soccer coach Mike Friesen said. "We want them to do their absolute best in the classroom and what this award shows everyone is we are accomplishing that goal. Success in the classroom goes hand-in-hand with success on the field. I'm really proud of the effort the team put into the classroom last year and I want to also thank and congratulate everyone on the academic side of our department, because this is their award too."
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 for the 2018-19 academic year.
The Aztecs were one of 644 women's soccer programs that were recognized by the largest community of soccer coaches in the nation and were one of nine schools in the Mountain West to receive the distinction.
SDSU's women's soccer program maintained a 3.21 cumulative GPA during last year's academic calendar and received the distinction for the third time overall, and the second time in as many years.
United Soccer Coaches 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.