UMBC: Men’s Soccer Team Winners on the Field and in the Classroom

The Right Combination

Men’s Soccer Team Winners on the Field and in the Classroom

The UMBC men’s soccer team’s splendid run to the Final Four of college soccer may have ended in the national semifinals with a hard-fought 1-0 loss to the University of Virginia, but it created memories that will live on in the annals of Retrievers athletics.

Senior forward Kay Banjo’s amazing back heel goal against Vermont in the America East conference semifinal – a goal that went viral on the Internet. Redshirt freshman midfielder Gregg Hauck’s wonder goal that sealed the championship victory. A gritty penalty kick victory over Wake Forest in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The coolly-taken goal by junior midfielder Malcolm Harris that sealed a historic tournament win over College Park. Senior midfielder Mamadou Kansaye’s conversion of a crucial spot kick to sink the University of Louisville – and the amazing one-handed save by sophomore goalie Billy Heavner that preserved the victory. Banjo’s penalty kick that defeated Creighton to earn the Retrievers a trip to the Final Four. And above all a sterling Retrievers defense – led by senior defender Oumar Ballo that did not surrender a single goal in open play during the entire run to Cary, North Carolina and the College Cup semifinal.

The Retrievers’ loss to the University of Virginia doesn’t dim the team’s historic achievements. UMBC’s “Road Warriors” travelled to four different stadiums and won four straight games against nationally-ranked opponents to earn their place in college soccer’s Final Four.

And just as important is that the UMBC men’s soccer squad excelled in the classroom as well as on the field. The team’s players embody a vision shared by the university and its athletics department for UMBC’s student-athletes to be winners in all aspects of college life.

This week, the NCAA released statistics on the academic achievements of the four teams who have reached the Final Four of men’s soccer. UMBC and UCLA both topped the group with graduation success rates (GSR) of 88 percent, and the Retrievers edged the Bruins by 2 points (963 to 961) in academic progress rate (APR) – which measures student-athletes’ eligibility and retention.

In an interview with UMBC Magazine, UMBC athletics director Tim Hall said: “My own beliefs about intercollegiate athletics and academics are congruent with the leadership of the university. I believe that success in athletics and success in academics are not mutually exclusive. You can be successful and balanced in both.”

It’s a vision that’s paying off with a UMBC squad that is now in the NCAA championship game.

For instance, in addition to being one of the catalysts on UMBC’s amazing postseason run, Heavner was presented on Thursday night with The Elite 89 – an award founded by the NCAA and presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s championships.

Heavner maintains a 4.0 GPA as a major in financial economics, and achievement that also earned him this season’s inaugural America East Elite 18 award, which recognizes student-athletes competing in conference championship matches who possess high academic and athletic achievements.

The UMBC men’s and women’s soccer teams also earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Team Academic Awards for the 2013-14 academic year for posting cumulative team grade point averages of 3.0 or better. UMBC was one of only 188 schools that had both men’s and women’s programs recognized in the NSCAA awards.

(Updated 12/12/2014)