INDIANAPOLIS - The United Soccer Coaches organization announced all schools receiving the Team Academic Award for Men’s and Women’s Soccer from the 2018-19 academic year on Thursday.
 
Of the 989 college teams who earned the team award, five schools (six teams) from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, earned the collaborative honor.
 
The recipients of this award are active members of the United Soccer Coaches College Services Program and have to have a composite grade point average of 3.0 or above on the 4.0 scale.
 
Only one Great Midwest Conference school had both their men’s and women’s team recognized, and that was the Findlay Oilers. Both programs are receiving this award for the first time; the women’s team had a cumulative grade point average of 3.58 under head coach Jimmy Walker, while the men’s team had a cumulative grade point average of 3.18 under head
coach Andy Smyth.
 
The four other schools who received this prestigious award were Cedarville, Tiffin, Ohio Dominican and Walsh – all women’s programs.
 
The Cavaliers had a cumulative grade point average of 3.62 and received this award for the 11th time in program history. Walsh is coached by Lauren Lewicki.
 
The Ohio Dominican Panthers and head coach Aimee Haywood were also recognized for the 11th time in their program’s history and this is ODU’s ninth time in a row receiving this award. They had a cumulative grade point average of 3.64.

Tiffin's first year in the league under head coach Melissa Bigg celebrated the 10th time the Dragons program has excelled in the classroom for another award. TU's cumulative team effort resulted in an impressive 3.37 GPA. 
 
And finally, Cedarville’s women’s team under coach Jonathan Meade came in at a cumulative grade point average of 3.61 and received the award for the 6th time in program history.