Men's Soccer Earns United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for Ninth Consecutive Season

KANSAS CITY – Xavier men's soccer was awarded the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for the ninth consecutive year on Thursday. The Musketeers combined for an impressive team GPA of 3.21 for the 2017-18 academic year.

"I am proud of our players, their parents and our campus again," said head coach Andy Fleming. "I believe a good men's soccer program should reflect its university and our academic success over the past nine years does just that."

Last season, 21 Musketeers were also honored with a spot on the BIG EAST All-Academic Team.

"Since 2012, we've had multiple top-10 national rankings, a top-10 MLS draft pick, led the nation in fewest yellow cards and have had a top-10 GPA," said Fleming. "We are a well-rounded program, and I truly believe the people we have and how we study, act and prepare is what allows the soccer to be what it is."

A total of 773 soccer teams were recognized across all divisions, including 289 men's teams. XU was one of just 191 schools to have both its men's and women's teams recognized, as Nate Lie's women's program posted an impressive 3.67 team GPA.

To qualify for the award, a team must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 or higher for the entire academic year. The team GPA is determined by adding every player's GPA, then dividing by the number of players.

AMONG THE NATION'S ELITE

• Xavier men's soccer has reached the NCAA Tournament in four of the last eight seasons.
• The Musketeers have won 10 or more matches in seven of the last eight seasons.
• Xavier was the only program in the nation with five consecutive major conference awards from 2012-16, including 2016 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Cory Brown.
• XU has qualified for five consecutive BIG EAST Championships, including trips to the title game in 2014 and 2017.
• XU has been ranked in the nation's top-10 three times in the last six years by the United Soccer Coaches. The Musketeers have been nationally-ranked in at least one major college soccer poll (United Soccer Coaches, Top Drawer Soccer, College Soccer News, Soccer America) in every season since 2011.
• In 2015, XU knocked off the national No. 1 (Creighton) and No. 2 (Notre Dame) on the road last season. The Musketeers are widely believed to be the first program to ever knock off both a No. 1 and a No. 2 on the road in the same season.
• Four XU players have been selected in the MLS SuperDraft in the last seven years, including 2018 third rounder Cory Brown.

ABOUT UNITED SOCCER COACHES

Founded in 1941 and based in Kansas City, Mo., the United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) is a non-profit organization with a mission to educate coaches, encourage excellence and serve the soccer community.

The United Soccer Coaches is the world's largest soccer coaches' organization with members at every level of the game, from professional to grassroots. The membership also includes administrators, referees and others in the soccer industry. The United Soccer Coaches provides its members opportunities to enhance the game of soccer by providing a national education program, interaction and networking opportunities, and membership benefits.

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