Nov. 17, 2010

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina men’s soccer team has earned the NSCAA’s (National Soccer Coaches Association of America) Team Academic Award, while also being the national leader in team GPA for the 2009-10 school year with a 3.49 cumulative team GPA. With its outstanding performance in the classroom, South Carolina leads the other 200 Division I men’s programs in the country in the academic award category.

“This is one of the most significant awards any men’s soccer team at South Carolina has ever won,” South Carolina head men’s soccer coach Mark Berson said. “I am extremely proud of our student-athletes. This award goes beyond wins and losses, or starters and non-starters. Every student-athlete in the program contributed to the success of the team on the field this fall both in winning the conference championship and contributing academically with a very high level of achievement all year long. I want to recognize our academic advisor, Steve Bondurant, for his help and guidance with our team, and thank everyone involved with our new academic center for their support.”

“We are ecstatic about Coach Berson’s soccer team’s achievement of having the highest team GPA in Division I soccer while also celebrating their conference championship,” South Carolina associate athletics director for academics and life skills Raymond Harrison said. “This accomplishment proves that consistent discipline and work ethic in all areas is a recipe for success. Steve Bondurant, the academic advisor for the men’s soccer and baseball teams has done a really good job in being an `X’ factor and helping them achieve their academic goals.”

To be eligible for the award, teams must hold a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. A total of 78 teams earned the NSCAA’s Team Academic Award for the 2009-10 school year.

The Top 10 Division I Men’s Soccer Team GPA – 2009-10 Academic Year
School, Head Coach, Team GPA
University of South Carolina, Mark Berson, 3.49
Long Island University, T.J. Kostecky, 3.45
DePaul University, Craig Blazer, 3.44
Brown University, Pat Laughlin, 3.39
Columbia University, Kevin Anderson, 3.39
Lafayette College, Dennis Bohn, 3.38
Stanford University, Bret Simon, 3.36
University of Akron, Caleb Porter, 3.33
Dartmouth College, Jeff Cook, 3.33
Butler University, Kelly Findley, 3.32