NSCAA recognizes UA team academics

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas’ soccer program has received a Team Academic Award from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America for having a team grade point average of 3.0 or better for the 2008-09 academic year.

Arkansas has been honored by the NSCAA for eight consecutive years, the longest streak in the Southeastern Conference. The team’s 3.29 GPA is also the second-best in the SEC behind Vanderbilt (3.32).

“I am so proud of our young women for again striving for excellence, this time in the classroom,” head coach Erin Aubry says. “To have a team GPA of 3.29 is a huge feat and a testament to how great this team’s work ethic is in every arena of their lives. We talk about rising to our potential as citizens, students and athletes every day, so to see them following through with this mission is fulfilling.”

Aubry guided the Razorbacks to an 8-7-4 finish in 2009, giving Arkansas consecutive winning seasons for the first time in program history. Arkansas was 11-8-0 in 2008.

Other highlights include school records with 10 shutouts, four SEC shutouts and a 0.87 goals against average. Arkansas was 4-2-4 away from Razorback Field for its best road record since 1996 (6-3). Individually, junior keeper Britni Williams set a school record with 22 career shutouts, is second with 26 victories and fifth with 258 saves; senior defender Kim Schleif earned second-team All-SEC honors; forward Allie Chandler earned SEC All-Freshman honors, and was fifth in the league with 71 shots; forward Laurel Pastor was seventh in the SEC in shots and 10th in assists (five); Williams was third in saves (98) and saves per game (5.16), and second in save percentage (.860); sophomore defender Kailey Anders earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week and Soccer America Women’s Team of the Week honors; and Aubry became the first first-year head coach in program history to lead the Razorbacks to a winning record.

“This academic award is yet another result of our amazing leaders and the team’s willingness to follow,” Aubry says. “You cannot have one without the other. This team dynamic will certainly continue to carry over on the field as well.”