Willamette Women's Soccer Team Earns Academic Award for 2021-22

By Charlie McGuire, Athletics Communications Assistant

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University women's soccer team has earned the Team Academic Award for the 2021-22 academic year as announced by the United Soccer Coaches late last week. It is the seventh time in the past 11 years that the Bearcats have qualified for the award. Willamette also achieved the honor in 2010-11, 2012-13, 2014-15, 2017-18, and 2018-19, 2019-20. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the award was not presented for the 2020-21 academic year.

A total of 800 teams (299 men, 501 women) earned the award at all levels of collegiate play. The Team Academic Award requires a combined team grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale) for all players who were on the team during the fall season. Willamette qualified for the award with a 3.58 team GPA.

The Willamette women's soccer program had 19 players named Northwest Conference Scholar-Athletes for the 2021-22 academic year. Highlighting the team's academic performance was All-Northwest Conference selection Sydney Wilson (Sr., M, Olympia, WA/Capital HS). An Exercise and Health Science major with a 3.99 GPA and a Biology minor, Wilson was a four-year starter for the Bearcats. She earned a number of academic honors, including the Pre-Health Al Ferrin Award, the Abendroth Research Award, and the Exercise and Health Science Departmental Award. She was named to the NWC Scholar-Athlete team four years in a row, was named to the Chi Alpha Sigma student-athlete honor society, and graduated Summa Cum Laude.

During the 2021 season, the Bearcats attained a 5-15 overall record and went 4-12 in the Northwest Conference.

Complete list of United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award Recipients for 2021-22 (scroll down to women's teams)