Receiving a college education and preparing yourself for the “real world” is the end goal of going to college, even for an athlete. That fact is evident at Virginia’s Washington and Lee University.
The Generals men’s soccer team was a recipient of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Team Academic Award, announced on Wednesday. The honor is given to those squads whose student-athletes averaged a 3.0 GPA or higher during the 2014-15 academic year.
The Washington and Lee soccer team accumulated a grade-point average (GPA) of 3.68, putting the Generals at the top of the 307 men’s schools that made the list. This is the ninth time in school history that the men’s team has collected the honor.
A total of 859 men’s and women’s teams were on the 2014 list, ranging from Divisions I, II and III. Of these schools, Washington and Lee was one of 217 teams to have both its men’s and women’s programs receiving the award.
The women’s team posted an overall GPA of 3.65. Rockhurst University claimed the highest score with an overall team average of 3.74. This is the 13th year in a row the women were recognized.
The Washington and Lee men’s team is currently 4-2-1 on the season and sitting atop the Old Dominion Athletic Conference with a perfect 2-0-0 record. Senior Ben Bayles is leading the way with three goals and one assist and sophomore Austin Gilbert has two goals and one assist for the Generals. Sophomore goalkeeper Gillen Beck has started all seven games and allowed only five goals, while making 25 saves.
The women finished the 2014 season at 15-2-1 overall and advanced to the championship game of the ODAC Tournament, losing to Lynchburg, 1-0. The men ended last season with an 11-5-2 record, advancing to the ODAC Tournament semifinals, where they lost 5-1 to Roanoke.
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