Goalkeeper Billy Heavner ’17 receives top academic honor in U.S. college sports

Published: Dec 1, 2015

(UMBC Men's Soccer Goalkeeper Billy Heavner '17, financial economics. Photo courtesy of UMBC Athletics.)

UMBC goalkeeper and men’s soccer co-captain Billy Heavner ’17, financial economics, has been selected to the 2015 Academic All-America Division I Men’s Soccer First Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Heavner is the second UMBC men’s soccer player to receive this top academic honor, following in the footsteps of fullback Liam Paddock ’13, psychology and sociology, who earned the distinction in 2012. He is the seventh student-athlete in Retriever history to earn first team honors and the 22nd UMBC athlete to be cited by CoSIDA since 1977.

Heavner is a phenomenal scholar-athlete, exceptional on the field and in the classroom. He led the America East league with eight shutouts in 2015 and with the highest save percentage (81.1), while earning a 3.93 grade point average. He is currently ranked 25th nationally in save percentage.

Heavner repeated as an America East All-Academic Team member this fall, and also earned Second Team All-Conference honors. Last year, when the UMBC men’s soccer team won four straight games in four different stadiums against nationally ranked opponents to earn their place in the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship, Heavner received the NCAA’s Elite 89 award for top scholar-athletes.

Image: UMBC Men’s Soccer Goalkeeper Billy Heavner ’17, financial economics. Photo courtesy of UMBC Athletics.

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