Brooklyn, NY -- For the third straight year, the Long Island University men's soccer team finished its season ranked in the top five in the nation in overall team GPA. This year, the Blackbirds are third in the NSCAA team academic award standings, scoring a 3.43. Harvard took the top spot with a 3.45 GPA, while Akron was second with a 3.44.

The award compliments a solid academic year for the men's soccer team, who recently saw seniors Steve Jakubowski and Josh Maley earn Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-District honors. The men's soccer team has also been a consistent fixture on the Northeast Conference Academic Honor Roll, and seven athletes were named to Who's Who Among Students at the end of the 2010-11 school year.

The Blackbirds closed the 2011 season with a 5-10-3 overall record, earning key wins over Temple and Quinnipiac. Jakubowski and classmate Adam Janssen capped their Long Island careers with NEC postseason honors.