MSU Soccer Honored at Spartan Academic Excellence Gala
4/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State men's soccer was honored at the Spartan's Student-Athlete Support Services (SASS) 19th annual Spartan Academic Excellence Gala on Monday evening at the Breslin Center. The event recognized the academic success of Spartan student-athletes during the 2015-16 academic year.
The men's soccer and women's golf programs were honored with the Athletic Director's Awards for achieving the highest team cumulative GPA after the fall 2015 semester. Led by head coach Damon Rensing, this was the first time men's soccer has won the Athletic Director's Award. All 19 team members qualified to attend the Gala and the team posted an overall GPA of 3.327.
"I am extremely proud of how this team has performed academically! To have the highest cumulative GPA among 11 men's sports is impressive. This is a testament to the support our guys receive from Jim Pignataro and Jeremy Flynn at SASS, a testament to the academic focus that was instilled in these young men by their parents and a testament to the focus that we here in the soccer program have to strive for excellence both in the classroom and on the soccer field," Rensing said.
Brian Alumbaugh, Josh Barens, Hunter Barone, Zach Bennett, Zach Carroll, Brad Centala, Connor Corrigan, Robbie Cort, Jerome Cristobal, Jimmy Fiscus, Jimmy Hague, Andrew Herr, DeJuan Jones, Zach Kovan, Ken Krolicki, Dewey Lewis, Michael Marcantognini, Quinn McAnaney, Asa Miller, Austin Piwinski, Lou Plascencia, Kyle Rutz, Ali Scheib, Ryan Scott, Ryan Sierakowski, Blake Skamiera, Jason Stacy, Philip Stair and Brian Winterfield were the 19 players honored with the Athletics Director Award.
The women's golf team, coached by Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, was recognized with the honor for the fifth-straight year after the team boasted a department-high cumulative GPA of 3.591 with all eligible members qualifying for the Gala for the fifth year in a row.
The soccer team was also represented in the entertainment at the Gala. A long-standing tradition and highlight of the Gala is the musical entertainment provided by MSU's own student-athletes, highlighting the talents that stretch beyond competition and the classroom. This year, the sibling duo of Sarah (women's soccer) and Zach Kovan (men's soccer) performed "Riptide" by Vance Joy.
The Spartans are back in spring action on Sunday, April 17, taking on Louisville in Kentucky. MSU closes out the Spring against Xavier in Cincinnati, Ohio on Saturday, April 23.
