KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Saint Joseph's College women's soccer team is one of just 19 men's and women's collegiate programs from across the country to earn 2018 United Soccer Coaches Team Pinnacle Award honors, as announced by the organization last week.
An honor bestowed upon teams that excelled in the areas of academics, sportsmanship, and athletics, the Team Pinnacle Award is the first of its kind in organized soccer and in its inaugural year. Saint Joseph's is the only NCAA women's soccer program from the New England Region to have earned a Team Pinnacle Award.
To be considered for the honor, collegiate teams must have received either the Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze version of the College Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award; achieved recognition in the classroom as a recipient of the College Team Academic Award; and recorded a winning percentage of .750 or higher during the respective season.
The Monks excelled in all facets en route to claiming the program's first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championships last fall. With just seven yellow cards all season, Saint Joseph's was honored with the Bronze Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award. In the classroom, the Monks registered a 3.39 team GPA during the 2018-19 academic year. On the pitch, St. Joe's registered a .800 winning percentage with a 16-4 overall record, which included a 10-2 mark in conference play.
The teams who earned a Team Pinnacle Award will be formally recognized by the United Soccer Coaches at the College Coaches Reception on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020 as part of the United Soccer Coaches Convention.