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Accolades Continue as Burkman Garners United Soccer Coaches NAIA Scholar All-America Honors

Accolades Continue as Burkman Garners United Soccer Coaches NAIA Scholar All-America Honors
Posted: Dec 08, 2017

The United Soccer Coaches named women's soccer senior defender Emily Burkman to the NAIA/NCCAA Scholar All-America Team, as announced by the association on Friday.

This marks the second consecutive season Burkman has been honored by the United Soccer Coaches, previously the National Soccer Coaches' Association of America (NSCAA), as a Scholar All-American. This team includes only 11 women's soccer players from both the NAIA and the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), selected for their efforts on the field and in the classroom.

Burkman maintains a 3.39 grade point average while majoring in nursing.

In order for a student-athlete to be nominated for Scholar All-America recognition by the head coach, the following criteria must be met: 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) or better throughout career, started more than 50 percent of all games and significantly contribute to their team and is a junior or above in academic standing.

The Canton, Mich. native ended the season with four goals and four assists, two of which were game-winning goals. Defensively, Burkman helped keep their opponents to only 25 goals and 252 shots while the Saints managed 49 goals and 434 shots. SHU earned six shutouts and had a 1.16 goals against average, Burkman an instrumental in the back as the center defender.

This season, Burkman was named an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American, Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference First Team along as being a WHAC All-Acedemic performer. For both the 2015 and 2016 season, Burkman was an WHAC First Team honoree and NAIA Honorable Mention selection.

Burkman scored the game-tying goal in the WHAC Tournament Championship to defeat then No. 2 Northwestern Ohio, 3-2, in overtime to claim the WHAC Tournament Title and earn an automatic-bid to the NAIA National Tournament.

Siena Heights ended the season 12-7-2 after the Saints fell to No. 10 Columbia (Mo.), 1-0, in the First Round of the NAIA National Tournament. Five of the Saints' seven losses this season were to nationally-ranked opponents.

This award will be presented at the 2018 United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia, Pa. on Jan. 20, 2018, at the All-America Luncheon.