DENVER - The University of Denver women's soccer team received the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Team Academic Award, the NSCAA announced. The Team Academic Award is given to programs that hold a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. The award was given for the 2010-11 academic year, when the Pioneers combined for a 3.64 cumulative grade point average.
"As a great academic institution, it's obvious that our players understand that education comes before anything else," head coach Jeff Hooker said. "I think that the team proved that again this season, being able to balance academics with a busy travel schedule in the fall."
Junior Katy Van Lieshout (Boulder, Colo.) and senior Kari Storslett (Bakersfield, Calif.) both were named to the Capital One Academic All-American Women's Soccer First Team. Sophomore Kristen Hamilton (Littleton, Colo.) joined the All-American duo on the Academic All-District Team.
DU will join the Western Athletic Conference in the 2012 season, following a 16-5-0 record during its final season in the Sun Belt Conference in the 2011 campaign. Hooker will enter his 21st season at the helm for the Pioneers. The Crimson and Gold won five Sun Belt Conference regular season titles and seven SBC Tournament titles under Hooker. In 2012, Denver returns the 2010 and 2011 SBC Player of the Year award winners in junior Kaitlin Bast (Centennial, Colo.) and Hamilton. The Pioneers will return nine starters from 2011, along with Bast who missed the majority of last season due to injury.
