Kansas defender Caroline Van Slambrouck (second team) and Texas goalkeeper Abby Smith (third team) led the Big 12 representatives recognized among the latest academic honors presented by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). Slambrouck and Smith were both recognized as members of the NSCAA Scholar All-America Teams.

Van Slambrouck became the third KU soccer player and the second in two years to find her name on the prestigious list, which recognizes just 33 of the nation's top collegiate soccer players per season, for their performances on the field and in the classroom. An English major who carries a cumulative GPA of 3.66, she has been a three-time selection of the Academic All-Big 12 First Team. She is the third Jayhawk to be named an Academic All-American after KU soccer greats Caroline Smith, who was named to the second team in 2004 and 2005, and Caroline Kastor, who earned a third-team nod in 2012. Van Slambrouck played in 78 of 80 games as a Jayhawk, including 20 of 21 matches during the 2014 season as one of the Jayhawks' central defenders. With her help, the KU defense allowed the fewest regular-season goals (12) in the Big 12 and tallied the third-lowest goals-against average in school history at 0.80 opponent goals per game.

Boasting a 3.60 grade-point-average while majoring in Physical Culture and Sport with a minor in Communication, Smith registered yet another outstanding season between the pipes in 2014, helping the Longhorns to an 11-8-4 record and an NCAA Second Round berth. The All-Big 12 First Team choice led the league with 98 saves, a mark that was sixth all-time in UT program history. The academic selections from the NSCAA mark the first for Texas soccer since Stephanie Logterman (second-team NSCAA Scholar All-American & first-team all-region) and Jill Gilbeau (honorable mention all-region) received honors from the organization back in 2008. The Longhorns now boast eight overall NSCAA Scholar All-Americans and 16 NSCAA Scholar All-Region inclusions in program history.

To be named to a NSCAA Scholar All-Region or All-America Team, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) throughout her career; start more than 50 percent of all games and be a significant contributor to the team; and be nominated by an institution that is a current NSCAA member.

Six Big 12 student-athletes were also named to the NSCAA Scholar All-Region squads. The honorees were as follows:

NSCAA All-East Region Third Team
Kailey Utley, West Virginia, Jr., Biology (3.77 GPA)

NSCAA All-North/Central Region First Team
Caroline Van Slambrouck, Kansas, Sr., English (3.66 GPA)

NSCAA All-South Region First Team
Courtney Dike, Oklahoma State, Accounting (3.90 GPA)

NSCAA All-South Region Second Team
Abby Smith, Texas, Physical Culture in Sport (3.60 GPA)
Allie Stephenson, Oklahoma State, Finance (3.44)
Sharis Lachappelle, Texas, Mathematics (3.39)