Lincoln Memorial, Newberry Soccer Teams Recognized For Academic Success

MISSION, Kan. - For the second consecutive year, both the Lincoln Memorial University men's and women's soccer teams have received the NSCAA Team Academic Award. Newberry College women's soccer team also received the award, winning the award for the fifth consecutive year.

Lincoln Memorial was one of only 73 collegiate institutions in the nation received the accolade this year for both their men's and women's soccer. This includes all divisions of NCAA as well as NAIA athletics.

To receive the award, a team must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

LMU Head Soccer Coach Helio D'Anna was extremely proud of his teams' academic efforts. "We set many goals for this year for both teams. Those goals included things on the field as well as off the field. I am as thrilled to receive this award as to have had the great seasons we had with both teams. I'd like to thank all of my players for their dedication and hard work. Things like this are not easy to do so when teams go deep into post season and miss so many classes."

The Lady Railsplitters finished the season with a 15-5-1 record and a 5-2-0 tally in conference play. The LMU women won both the South Atlantic Conference Regular Season Title and the SAC Women's Soccer Tournament. In addition, the Lady Railsplitters also advanced to the NCAA Regional Tournament for the third time in four years, finishing in the round of 32.

The Railsplitters closed the season with a 20-4-1 record posting 5-1-1 mark in the South Atlantic Conference. They also won the SAC Regular Season Title as well as the conference tournament title. The LMU men advanced into the NCAA National Tournament going all the way the National Championship before finishing as the National Runners-Up.

The Newberry College women's soccer program received the Team Academic Award for the fifth consecutive year.

Newberry continued its tradition of success in the classroom as the team compiled a 3.51 grade point average. The 2008 Senior Class is the first class in Newberry Women's Soccer history to earn the award in all four seasons.

Six Lady Indians' players also earned honorable mention recognition for the NSCAA All-Academic Team. Sarah Barnes, Greta Hewett, Elizabeth Jones, Jenn Richards, Brooke Tumblin and Inga Woiwode all earned recognition for the All-Academic team.

This is the second straight year that Barnes, Tumblin and Woiwode have earned Honorable Mention recognition. Barnes is a senior majoring in Biology and Chemistry with a 3.75 GPA. Tumblin is senior majoring in Political Science with a 3.84 GPA. Woiwode is a senior majoring in Biology with a 3.55 GPA. She also earned NSCAA Second Team All-Southeast Region honors.

Hewett, Jones and Richards are all being honored for the first time by the NSCAA. Hewett is a senior majoring in Biology with a 3.96 GPA. Jones is a junior majoring in Biology with a 3.3 GPA. Richards is a senior majoring in Biology and English with a 3.49 GPA.

"We are very proud of what our players achieve in the classroom not only as individuals but as a team," said Head Coach Juan Pablo Favero.