2012 NSCAA Women's College Division Scholar All-West Region
2011-12 NSCAA College Team Academic Award

San Francisco, CA -- With all of the press about the performance of the Academy of Art University on the field, it is sometimes easy to forget that every athlete is working just as hard off the field and in the classroom. The Urban Knights women's soccer team was recognized for that effort recently, as both senior Tanner McCandlish and the whole team received honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). McCandlish was named as an Honorable Mention on the 2012 NSCAA Women's Scholar All-America Team, while the team as a whole posted a grade point average above 3.0, earning the NSCAA Team Academic Award for 2011-12.

"A successful collegiate program requires its student-athletes to be completely focused on their performance on the pitch and in the classroom," said head coach Aileen Nasypany. "We have created an environment where my players know important this commitment is. I am very proud of the team's efforts in each of their field of studies, which has enabled us to achieve this prestigious national academic award."

McCandlish, a Motion Pictures & Television major at Academy of Art, is set to graduate in the spring. The senior had two career assists, playing both defender and midfield, and was named a team captain in 2012. She is the leading player in games played, and has played the second most games in ART U history.

"Tanner McCandlish is a tremendously gifted student who has shown great dedication over the past four years here at Academy of Art University," said Nasypany. "I am so happy to see her efforts rewarded and I am sure this success and notoriety will continue on when she enters the industry next year."

"I am truly honored to have received this invaluable award," said McCandlish. "It is nice to have all of my hard work, on and off the field, appreciated and acknowledged. Being a student athlete takes dedication and responsibility. You have to be committed in the classroom just as much as you are on the pitch. I am grateful for this award, and even more grateful that I achieved it while playing for the Urban Knights."