ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - The UCF men's soccer team was successful in the classroom during the 2015-16 academic year and recorded the best grade-point average (GPA) among male sports in the spring semester.
The Knights tallied a 3.41 GPA during the spring term. The combined academic year GPA for the Knights was 3.24. These are the top marks posted by the squad since head coach Bryan Cunningham took over the program before the 2007 season.
Senior Mason Miller, sophomore Joel Vartiainen and freshman Brendan Rennie earned a perfect 4.0 GPA and were recognized on the President's List. Miller, who graduated earlier this month, also posted a 4.0 mark during the fall.
At the annual Swords Awards banquet, Miller was selected as the male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, while redshirt sophomore Phil Hicks received the Dr. Richard Lapchick Award, which measures both athletic and academic achievements along with community service.
Senior Hadji Barry, who was selected by Orlando City in the MLS SuperDraft, was tabbed as the team MVP. The Newcomer of the Year and the Iron Award was given to Vartiainen, while sophomore Matias Pyysalo received the Coaches Award.
Back in the fall, the Knights went 7-8-2 overall and finished fifth in The American with a 4-4-1 league mark. UCF returns nine starters and 14 letterwinners from last season and begins preseason preparations in August.