BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University men’s soccer team led all conference schools with 11 selections to the 2018 Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Academic Team.
For the second consecutive season the Vikings placed 11 team members on the academic team, setting the record for most All-GNAC Academic selections in program history.
To earn selection to the GNAC All-Academic Team, student-athletes must have a 3.20 cumulative grade point average or better, be of sophomore standing or better and be in at least their second season of competition. Per conference rules, freshmen, redshirt freshmen and first-year transfers are not eligible.
Earlier this month WWU earned its first United Soccer Coaches College Team Academic Award with a team GPA of 3.08 during the 2017-18 academic school year.
Highlighting WWU’s selections were a trio of players that became three-time Academic All-Conference selections. Seniors Stephen Jinneman (3.32, Electrical Engineering), Garrett Strawn (3.80, Biochemistry) and Jose Castillo (3.32, Kinesiology) became the sixth, seventh and eighth players in program history to earn three GNAC Academic awards. Juniors Cameron Unks (3.88, Cell & Molecular Biology) and Christian Rotter (3.82, Manufacturing & Supply Chain Management) had the highest GPA’s amongst the 11 Vikings named to the team.
“I am very proud of the team for this academic achievement,” said head coach Greg Brisbon. “They have been able to balance the academic and athletic side, truly defining the student-athlete term, and I feel they are performing exceptionally on both sides.”
The 11 WWU student-athletes to earn All-GNAC academic honors matched the record set last season, bettering the previous program record of six set in 2012. The total selections for WWU to the GNAC All-Academic Team were the most of any school in 2018, just ahead of Seattle Pacific and Northwest Nazarene, both with nine.
