KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Northern Illinois University men's soccer team was honored on Thursday with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) 2015-16 Team Academic Award for exemplary performance in the classroom during the 2015-16 academic year.

The Huskies, who posted a cumulative team grade point average of 3.19 last year, were one of five Mid-American Conference men's soccer teams to receive the honor.

"I'm certainly pleased for our student-athletes and for our program to be recognized with the NSCAA Team Academic Award," said NIU head coach Eric Luzzi. "We have a group that includes some very high-achieving young men off the field, and ultimately that is why they are here—to get a valuable college degree and set themselves for success throughout their lives. This award helps to recognize the fact that our student-athletes, and our program as a whole, is committed to their academics, and ultimately to being successful in all aspects of their life."

Last season, five Huskies earned Academic All-MAC honors, including graduated seniors Taylor Cole (Clarendon Hills, Ill./Hinsdale Central) and Andrew Glaeser (Walla Walla, Wash./Walla Walla) as well as current Huskies, Giovanni Garcia (Chicago, Ill/Elk Grove), Richard Hall (Billericay, England/The Billericay School) and Luke Read (Ilford, England/Barking Abbey School).

The honor marks the third time NIU has received the NSCAA Academic Team Award, but the first time since 2003.

To qualify for the award, a team must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 or higher for the entire academic year. The team GPA is determined by adding every player's GPA, then dividing by the number of players.