Marshall Soccer Receives 2009 NSCAA Team Academic Awards

KANSAS CITY, Kan.- The Marshall University men's and women's soccer teams each earned 2009 National Soccer Coaches Association of America College Team Academic Awards for the 2008-09 academic year. The Thundering Herd squads joined 565 soccer teams (140 men, 325 women) that accumulated a 3.0 grade point average or higher and was one of 97 schools to recognize both its men's and women's teams.

This is the women's eleventh consecutive year taking home the NSCAA Team Academic Award. The Herd women posted a 3.42 GPA during the 2008-09 academic year, its highest collective GPA since the awards conception in 1996.

"It's been an exciting year for us," women's head coach Kevin Long said. "We had a good year on the field and are performing equally well in the classroom. I am very proud of their efforts."

The women's team also earned Conference USA All-Academic Second Team honor with representation by Kristen Berquist (Highland Village, Texas), Erika Duncan (Easthaven, Scotland) and Molly Snead (Cincinnati, Ohio). Berquist also received ESPN The MagazineAcademic All-District II Second Team honors, after posting a 3.79 GPA in accounting.

The MU men's soccer team earned the NSCAA academic award for the third time in program history, with the previous two coming in 2002 and 2007. The Herd posted a cumulative grade point average of 3.21 in 2009, led by senior Matt Dickerson who was recognized as an ESPN The MagazineAcademic All-District II Team for the second time in his career. He and Dustin Dawes were also members of the Conference USA All-Academic Team.

"It's quite an accomplishment," men's head coach Bob Gray said. "It proves that our kids are doing it on field and in the classroom. I strongly believe they are called student-athletes because the student comes first, and the university is doing a great job of helping the kids juggle their academics and athletics."

Marshall University Athletics

Marshall Soccer Receives 2009 NSCAA Team Academic Awards

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Kristen Berquist

Dustin Dawes

Matt Dickerson

Erika Duncan

Molly Snead

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