FLORENCE, S.C. – For the third consecutive year, the Francis Marion University women’s soccer team has earned a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Team Academic Award. The most recent awards are for the 2005-06 school year.

Francis Marion ranked 30th among the nearly 600 schools that sponsor women’s soccer (all divisions) with a cumulative 3.42 team grade point average for the academic year. Only four other Palmetto State women’s programs made the list, and none of the four had a GPA above 3.40.

Among NCAA Division I women’s programs, Francis Marion was tied for ninth with the University of Notre Dame. The University of Central Michigan paced all Division I programs with a 3.73 grade point average.

Altogether 185 women’s programs from all divisions were honored for compiling a team grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

This past fall, the Patriots completed their second year of transitioning to NCAA Division I affiliation with an 11-5-3 record, one of the most improved on-field marks in Division I.

In 2004-05, Francis Marion ranked 81st among all schools with a 3.35 GPA, while in 2003-04, the Patriots ranked 58th with a 3.39 GPA.