Men's and women's soccer earn NSCAA Team Academic Award

NEWPORT, R.I. - For the third consecutive season the Salve Regina University men's and women's soccer teams have been announced as recipients of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Team Academic Award.

In order to qualify for the award, teams are required to record a cumulative team grade-point average of 3.0 or higher. In all, a total of 721 college soccer teams (221 men, 500 women) earned the award during the 2011-12 academic year, with Salve Regina being one of only 150 schools to have both their men's and women's programs represented.

The Salve Regina women's soccer team compiled a 3.44 GPA, marking the fourth time the program has earned the award. "I am very proud of my team," exclaims head coach Kerri Scroope. "They continuously strive to be true student-athletes. They work hard on the field but also in the classroom. Their ability to multitask and handle both time consuming areas is preparing them to be strong leaders when they graduate."

The Salve Regina men earned a 3.05 GPA, representing the program's third NSCAA award, each garnered over the past three years. "It is once again a real honor to have the NSCAA bestow this award upon our team," says head coach Craig O'Rourke II. "I am very fortunate to have such a high caliber of student-athlete within my program, both in terms of the quality of soccer that they produce on the field, and their continued commitment to their studies in and out of the classroom.  All of our players embrace the idea and concept of being true 'student-athletes' and work very hard at balancing their time and passion for soccer while constantly working to improve their academic skill set and knowledge-base."