AUSTIN, Texas – Senior Preston Neal (Windham, N.H.) of the Southern New Hampshire University men's soccer team was named the Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for Division II men's soccer, as selected by College Sports Communicators, Tuesday. The Academic All-America Team Member of the Year is recognized as the top Academic All-American in their division for the sport they compete in.
Neal, a graphic design & media arts major with a 3.98 grade-point average, is now a CSC Academic All-America First Team honoree for the second straight season, becoming just the fourth student-athlete in program history to attain the feat and the first since Jonathan Lupinelli and Sebastian Stezewski both repeated in 2015. Neal's impressive 2024 campaign is also backed up by United Soccer Coaches East All-Region First Team, NE10 Goalkeeper of the Year, NE10 All-Conference First Team and CSC Academic All-District honors. Neal started 17 of the 18 matches he played in, finishing 13-1-3 with eight shutouts. The two-time NE10 Goalkeeper of the Week (Oct. 7, Oct. 14) stopped 59 of the 72 shots he faced over 1564:31 for a 0.75 GAA and .819 save percentage. He ranked second in the league in GAA, save percentage and shutouts. He was 10th, 11th and 13th, nationally, in those respective categories.
The Penmen finished 14-2-3, including 7-0-2 in NE10 play, as the team earned its sixth NE10 regular-season title and the No. 1 seed for the NE10 Championship, before capturing its eighth NE10 title. SNHU received its 24th NCAA Championship berth and the No. 2 seed in Super Region I, but bowed out in the second round when it fell, 7-6, in penalty kicks.
The Division II Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2024-25 Division II Academic All-America® program.
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