Thursday, November 29, 2012

Valparaiso junior Todd Vervynckt (Plymouth, Ind./Plymouth) has been named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America Division I Men’s Soccer Third Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), it was announced on Thursday. Vervynckt becomes the second Crusader men's soccer player in the last three years to earn the national academic honor.

Vervynckt was one of the Crusaders' top offensive threats in 2012, finishing second on the team with three goals and nine points. The junior tallied a match-winning goal against Saint Joseph's (Ind.) early in the season and also scored goals against #9 UC Santa Barbara and at Milwaukee. He also registered three assists on the year, including a helper on the match-winning goal in Valpo's Horizon League quarterfinal victory over Milwaukee.

In the classroom, Vervynckt owns a 3.97 cumulative grade point average as a mechanical engineering major. A member of the Horizon League Academic All-League squad last season as a sophomore, Vervynckt has also been named to the league’s Academic Honor Roll each semester eligible. He has also been named to the Dean’s List and received Presidential academic honors during this time at Valpo.

Vervynckt’s selection marks 10 out of the last 12 academic years that Valparaiso has had at least one athlete receive Academic All-America recognition, while he is the 15th honoree overall for the Crusaders over that time frame.