Idaho soccer coach Pete Showler’s team takes the term “student-athlete” literally.
On Jan 6 the National Soccer Coaches Association of America named five Vandal junior soccer players to an All-West Region academic honors team.
The list includes forward Chelsea Small on the first team, with midfielders Jill Flockhart, Megan Lopez and Amber Pimley as well as defender Lauren Layton named to the second team.
“To have five players selected out of 50 be from the University of Idaho is a huge compliment to their hard work and to them embracing the ‘student’ and the ‘athlete,'” Showler said. “The West Region … has some very good academic schools.”
The five Vandals listed as honorees were all starters for the Idaho team that progressed the deepest it ever has in the WAC tournament, and includes Pimley whose two goals sent them past San Jose State and into the semi-finals.
Small, the first team honoree, led the group with a 3.96 cumulative GPA. She also earned first team All-WAC on the pitch as she led Idaho in goals scored for the third consecutive year.
Layton, the team captain, was second on the team with a 3.81 GPA.
The entire team averaged a 3.46 team GPA that was tops in the entire conference, and also gained recognition from the NSCAA.
“It comes down to them studying and working tirelessly to have fantastic grades,” Showler said. “We’re doing very well on both sides of the ball right now, and that’s great to see as a coach. It shows that we’re recruiting the right type of player and also that they’re working their socks off — on and away from the pitch — to make themselves better.”
Based on playing time notched from last season, it is likely the five honored players will be key factors in the program next season as they try to go after the programs first bid to the NCAA Tournament.