Swarthmore Women Receive Academic Award Again, Mullarkey Named Scholar Athlete
SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- The Swarthmore women's soccer team received the Team Academic Award from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) for the fourth consecutive year. Senior Caitlin Mullarkey was named to the NSCAA/adidas Scholar All-East region second team.
The NSCAA awarded over 375 teams with honor for commitment to their studies during the 2007-2008 academic year. Teams must post a collective 3.00 or higher grade point average to earn the award. Swarthmore was one of four Centennial Conference teams recognized; Bryn Mawr, Johns Hopkins and Haverford were also listed.
"Not only do our players excel in the classroom, and on the field," said fourth-year head coach Todd Anckaitis, "but they also hold leadership positions within the campus community."
Three Garnet women were named to the 2007 Fall Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll: Monica Cody ’10 (Torrance, Calif. / Marymount), Mullarkey (Wilmington, Del. / Ursuline Academy) and Caitlin O’Neil ’10 (Del Mar, Calif. / The Bishop’s School). To be named to the CC Academic Honor Roll, student-athletes must be a sophomore or higher in class standing and a starter or key reserve on her team. The student must maintain at least a 3.40 cumulative grade-point average.
Mullarkey won a handful of academic honors in 2008, including a Rhodes Scholarship (the second Swarthmore female soccer player to do so). She was also named ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America by the College Sports Information Directors of 
America (CoSIDA), and earned her third consecutive selection to the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Star team by the Philadelphia-area Sports Information Directors Association (Philly-SIDA).
"The Swarthmore student-athletes strive for excellence in all that they do and that ultimately leads to success upon graduation," said Anckaitis.
The Garnet (10-4-6 overall, 5-1-4 CC) won a second consecutive Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (E.C.A.C.) South Region Championship this season, appeared in the Centennial Conference playoffs for the third straight season and traveled to the top-ranked team in Division III, winning 4-3 at the College of New Jersey. It was just the second time in 10 years the Lions’ suffered a home loss. The Swarthmore defensive unit ranked in the top-30 in Division III for goals-against average (0.56), goals-allowed (12), and shutouts (13).
Click here for the complete list of 2007-08 Team Academic Award winners
Click here for the NSCAA/adidas Scholar All-East Region teams