Skyhawks recognized for academic excellence
United Soccer Coaches Announces Team Academic Award Winners
EASTON, Mass. (October 6, 2017) – The 2016-17 Stonehill College women's soccer team was awarded their first-ever Team Academic Award, as announced by the United Soccer Coaches on Thursday.
The award, which was initiated in the 1996, honors collegiate and high school men's and women's soccer teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.00 cumulative team grade-point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale.
United Soccer Coaches recognized 825 teams, 286 men and 539 women on Thursday. Stonehill College was one of 195 schools to have both their men's and women's programs honored this year. This is the first year that both Stonehill soccer programs have received the award in the programs' histories.
The Skyhawks join American International College, Bentley University, Merrimack College, the University of New Haven, Pace University, Saint Michael's College, the College of Saint Rose, and Southern Connecticut State University as the Northeast-10 Conference teams to make the list this year. Adelphi University leads the conference by being recognized for 17 years, followed by the College of Saint Rose and the University of New Haven.
Claire O'Brien '17 (West Hartford, Connecticut/Hall) was tabbed on the NE10 Fall Academic All-Conference teams last year for her second time. O'Brien and 26 teammates were also named to 2016 Fall NE10 Commissioner's Honor Roll for having a GPA of 3.00 and above. All-American Jamie Block '17 (Georgetown, Massachusetts/Georgetown) and O'Brien were both named to the NSCAA NCAA Division II Women's Scholar All-East Region First team, while Block was named to the NSCAA NCAA Division II Scholar All-America first team.
The 2016-17 women's squad finished fourth in the NE10 play with a 8-5-1 record, while concluding post season play with a 15-6-1 overall record. This mark was the best since 1999 when the team went 17-4-1. The Skyhawks also tallied national rankings during the year, matching its highest four from back in 1999. The 2016 team also recorded its first NCAA bid in program history after winning the NE10 Championship against Pace University, its first title since 1995. The team graduated 10 seniors after making a historic run for the program.
The 2017-18 Stonehill team battles Southern Connecticut State University Saturday, October 7 on Skyhawk Field at 2 p.m. Throughout the month of October, the team will be wearing pink during warm-ups in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. They will also be hosting a Play 4 the Cure game on Wednesday, October 25 against Bentley University at 3:00 p.m. to benefit the National Foundation for Cancer Research. Donations are accepted online and at the game.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
