Dear Coaches:
I hope this finds you safe and well during these unprecedented times for intercollegiate athletics and our nation. Multiple conferences postponed fall soccer and intercollegiate championships were cancelled at the NCAA Division II, III, NAIA, NJCAA and the CCCAA levels. The NAIA and NJCAA have rescheduled their championships for this spring.
I wanted you to be aware of our plans to continue a comprehensive awards and recognition program whether your school played last fall or will play this spring. Our Awards Committee, National Awards Chairs and their committees are discussing on how to best adapt those new timetables, policies and procedures to recognize excellence for this spring.
Final details are being determined and communicated to coaches but rest assured the following recognition programs will continue and extended to members:
- College Rankings – We will continue to administer team rankings sponsored by our corporate partner Verizon for both men and women at every level of the college game.
- All-America – Coaches at the NCAA Division I, NAIA, NCCAA and Junior College levels will have the opportunity to nominate and participate in the selection of deserving players including All-Region recognition.
- Player Awards of Distinction – Members at every collegiate level will have the opportunity for their student-athletes to be recognized by nominating up to three (3) players for this new award. The award recognizes outstanding play, character and team leadership on and off the field.
- Scholar All-America – Nominations opened March 1 (for senior colleges) and March 15 (for junior colleges). This will also allow GPAs to include academic achievement through the fall semester for this important player recognition program.
- Staff of the Year – Recognition of outstanding achievement by coaching staffs this spring will include Region and National Staffs of the Year. This most likely will also include attention to those that have been recognized by their conferences.
- Team Academic Award – Annually one of the most popular and important recognition awards for team performance in the classroom, the 2020-21 nominations will open this spring for members.
- Sportsmanship and Ethics Awards – These awards will continue to be bestowed to teams at every level in recognition of limited card accumulation during their season of play.
- Pinnacle Awards – This popular new addition last year will return in 2020-21 for programs that meet standards combining success on the field, in the classroom and through sportsmanship.Please stay safe and well. We hope conditions of this pandemic allow your teams to participate this spring.
Sincerely,
Steve Veal
Awards Manager
sveal@unitedsoccercoaches.org