Blue Raider Soccer garners NSCAA Team Academic Award

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - For the 12th consecutive year, the Middle Tennessee soccer team received the College Team Academic Award given by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

The Blue Raiders posted a 3.46 grade point average for the 2011-12 academic year. Middle Tennessee was just one of six schools in the Sun Belt conference to earn the team award. MT was one of the top-40 NCAA Division I programs nationally by GPA. 

"Our goal each year is to have stronger performances on and off the field than the year before," said head coach Aston Rhoden. "We accomplished that goal this year with a SBC regular season title and a better overall team GPA. Earning the NSCAA Team Academic award for the 12th consecutive year also indicates the level of commitment our players and academic counselor has made to our academic goals. I am very excited and proud of this award."

The team award was not the only academic accomplishment for the Blue Raiders. Senior Paige Goeglein garnered first team Capital One Academic All-District III honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The Economics major is a finalist for the CoSIDA Academic All-America team, which will be announced on Thursday, Nov. 29.

For the 2011-12 academic year, MT Soccer had 21 players earn academic recognition from the Sun Belt Conference. There were 14 Raiders on the Commissioner's List (3.5 - 4.0 GPA) and seven on the SBC Academic Honor Roll (3.0 - 3.49 GPA).

MT capped off a historic season that saw the squad collect a 14-5-1 record and a share of the Sun Belt Conference regular season title. Middle Tennessee also had a top 5 scoring offense in the country, averaging 2.85 goals per game.

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