CCU athletes receive awards for academic achievement

This year, nine different teams at Coastal Carolina University received team or individual recognition for academic achievements.

Men’s and women’s soccer received the USC Academic Honors. To have received this honor, the team had to hold a combined GPA of 3.0 or higher. This honor was awarded to 992 men’s and women’s soccer teams around the United States. CCU was one of 258 schools to be recognized for both men’s and women’s soccer teams receiving the award. This is the 11th time CCU Men’s Soccer has received this honor.

The Coastal Carolina women’s soccer team was also awarded the United Soccer Coaches Academic Award, having held a combined GPA of 3.0 or higher. The team is one of 647 to receive the award and this is the 15th year that CCU Women’s Soccer has received the award.

Coastal Carolina men’s and women’s tennis teams were awarded the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Academic Honor. This honor requires that teams have a GPA of 3.20 of higher.

Seven members from the women’s team: Somer Dalla-Bona, Viktorija Demcenkova, Maria Khomchenko, Jessie Mount, Alexa Tiefel, Iryna Vardanian, and Alicja Zduniak were selected as ITA Scholar Athletes. Gonzalo Achondo, Juan Castellanos, Francesco Cori, Luiz Faria, Zac Talic, and Daiki Tanabe of the men’s team received the same accolade.

In order to become an ITA Scholar Athlete, one must have been enrolled for at least two semesters, have maintained a 3.50 or higher GPA, and have received a varsity letter. This is the 26th time this award has been honored to CCU.

Beach volleyball also took their studies by storm and were awarded the AVCA Team Academic Award. This marks the second year in a row that CCU beach volleyball has received this award. For a team to receive this award, it must have a combined GPA of 3.30 or higher. CCU beach volleyball finished their spring season with a combined GPA of 3.5. CCU is one of 41 beach volleyball programs to receive this award.

Coastal Carolina women’s basketball and golf teams were awarded the Sunbelt Team GPA Award for 2018-2019. Coastal Carolina women’s golf had the highest GPA in the sunbelt with their combined GPA at 3.86.

Ten players of the women’s lacrosse team were inducted into the Intercollegiate Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Zag Sports Division I Academic Honor Roll. This requires student athletes to be a junior, senior, or graduate student with a GPA of 3.5 or higher. The 10 players honored were Haley Alexander, Madeline Bromley, Emily D’Orsaneo, Abbey Buchanan, Megan Kilpatrick, Hannah Krin, Haley Kyger, Regan McComb, Lyla Robinson and Haley Wells.

Lastly, the women’s softball team was recognized by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association for having a GPA of 3.485, ranking 42nd out of the 140 division one teams. Twelve players on the team were recognized by the NFCA as All American Scholar-Athlete Honorees. The AASA is awarded to students whose GPA is 3.50 or higher. The 12 players include Alexis Alvino, Kaitlin Beasley-Polko, Kendall Coyle, Chelsea D’Avilar, Sydney Guess, Allison Keyer, Ally Marcano, Kassidy Smith, and Adrienne Visintine. Also, among the 12 players were Courtney Dean and Abbey Montoya, who both maintained 4.0 GPAs.

Matt Hogue, the Athletic Director at CCU, is proud of all the student-athletes and coaches here at CCU.

“I am always very proud of our student-athletes and their academic achievements.  Success in the classroom has been a hallmark of CCU Athletics for decades and a goal we continue to pursue. As for softball, in particular, Coach Green has established a sound foundation for her athletes regarding their academics and we all take great pride in their being recognized with the NFCA honor,” Hogue said.