Kevin Parma Receives CoSIDA Academic All-America Laurels

TOWSON, Md. – The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced on Tuesday that Kevin Parma of the Western New England University men's soccer team has been named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America NCAA Division III First Team. The junior defender from Peconic, N.Y. (Southold High School), becomes the first CoSIDA Academic All-American in the storied 47-year history of the Golden Bears program and the first Western New England student-athlete since football's Mike Valentine (first team) in 2011.

The only junior selected on the all-star first team's backline, Parma helped captain the Golden Bears to a 9-9-3 record and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) New England tournament berth against arguably the team's toughest schedule – which included five NCAA tournament teams – in recent memory.

This fall, he earned All-Commonwealth Coast Conference accolades for a second time when he was placed on the first team as a defender. With three goals and three assists for nine points--which ranked tied for second for the Golden Bears--he became known as one of the most dangerous offensive-minded backs in the CCC this season. A workhorse with a team-leading 1493 minutes played, he has performed in the clutch as most of his points have helped either tie the game or put WNE ahead. (Parma is also the only conference soccer player, men's or women's, placed on the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team.)

Parma excels equally well off the field as he does on it. Carrying a 3.93 grade-point average as a double major in accounting and finance, he is in the Western New England Honors Program, has earned a Provost's Scholarship Award, received a grant for leadership and been inducted into the Alpha Lambda Delta Freshman Honor Society.

Earlier this month, his overall GPA ranked second on a repeat performance on a CoSIDA District I Academic First Team that includes Division III student-athletes from Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. Over 400 NCAA-affiliated institutions sponsor men's soccer this academic year.

In addition, Parma has served on a plethora of community service projects and worked clinics for local youth soccer teams.

A three-year starter, Parma has served an internship for Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and earned the WNE Coaches' Award for character, integrity and professionalism as a freshman.

All told, Western New England has produced 20 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans – with 17 awards coming since 2001.

2012 CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-America Men's Soccer Team