Valparaiso senior Todd Vervynckt (Plymouth, Ind./Plymouth) has been named to the 2013 Capital One Academic All-American Division I Men’s Soccer First Team, as announced on Monday by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). A year ago, Vervynckt was a Third Team Academic All-American. With the honor, Vervynckt becomes the first Crusader in the history of the men’s soccer program to be selected as a First Team Academic All-American.

Vervynckt was an important piece for the Crusader’s in 2013. The senior midfielder was heavily relied on to provide balance defensively and to create chances going forward. Vervynckt started in each of the fifteen matches that he appeared in. He finished the season second on the team with two goals, and tied for second in assists with two. Vervynckt’s first goal came in a 2-1 victory over #24 Michigan State, while the second came in a 2-1 overtime win against IUPUI. He provided the assist on the game-winning goal against IUPUI, as well as the game-tying goal at North Florida.

"I am very proud of Todd,” said men’s head soccer coach Mike Avery. “He had a tremendous career here as a soccer player. Todd is the kind of player that sometimes can fly just below the radar in terms of statistics, but those of us inside the program know that he is the player that connects all the dots. Todd's consistency and versatility have been invaluable to us."

In the classroom, Vervynckt has maintained a 3.98 cumulative grade point average as a mechanical engineering major.  No stranger to academic success, Vervynckt was a 2012 Third Team Academic All-American selection as well as a Horizon League All-Academic team selection. He has also been named to the Dean’s List and received Presidential academic honors during his time at Valparaiso.

"Todd's academic performance speaks for itself,” said Avery. “To accomplish what he has accomplished in one of the most demanding academic majors while also performing so well on the field, it is easy to see why we hold Todd up as an example of what a student-athlete can be.” 

Vervynckt’s selection marks 11 out of the last 13 academic years that Valparaiso has had at least one athlete earn Academic All-American honors.