Eight of the University of Evansville's 14 athletic teams have earned academic awards from their national associations in the past year, and student-athletes from six of the eight teams will be recognized Saturday night during halftime of the men's basketball game against Southern Illinois.

As a group, the 250 UE student-athletes compiled a grade point average of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale during the most recent full school year.

The list of honored teams includes:

•Men's Cross Country, coached by Don Walters, earned Academic All-USA honors from the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for the fifth consecutive year by posting a 3.36 team GPA.

•Women's Cross Country, also coached by Walters, earned the Academic All-USA award for the 10th consecutive year with a 3.50 GPA.

•Women's Golf, coached by Jim Hamilton, earned the Team Scholar award from the National Golf Coaches Association for compiling a 3.28 grade point average. The golfers will be honored as a group later this year.

•Women's Soccer, coached by Krista McKendree, earned the Team Academic Award from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America for the fourth consecutive year with a team GPA of 3.23.

•Men's Swimming & Diving, coached by Rickey Perkins, earned the Scholar All-America Team award from the College Swim Coaches Association by compiling a 3.12 GPA.

•Women's Swimming & Diving, also coached by Perkins, is ranked second nationally among Division I Scholar All-America Teams with a 3.59 team grade point average.

•Volleyball, coached by Mike Swan, earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award for the sixth time in the last seven years with a 3.33 GPA.

•Women's Tennis, coached by Christine Bader in 2009-10 and Nick Mueller beginning last summer, earned the Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American Academic Team award for the 14th straight year.  It's the longest stretch of consecutive national academic honors for any University of Evansville sport.  The tennis players received their recognition last weekend since they open their spring semester season Saturday evening at Tri-State Athletic Club against Morehead State.

In addition, cross country runner Brian Joyce and soccer players Mike Luttrull and Robby Lynch will be honored Saturday night for their individual academic honors. Joyce became the 11th athlete in UE history to be chosen for an Academic All-America Team twice in his career.  He was a first team Track and Cross Country All-American, and graduated last year with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.  Luttrull was also a two-time Academic All-American, on the Men's Division I Soccer Team, in 2009 and 2010.  An accounting major with a 3.78 GPA, Luttrull was a three-time all-Missouri Valley Conference forward and finished his career as the 15th leading scorer in Aces' history with with 26 goals and 10 assists for 62 points. Lynch earned the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Scholar All-America award in both 2009 and 2010.  Lynch is an exercise science major with a 3.60 grade point average.  He was recently drafted by the MLS Portland Timbers after earning MVC Defensive Player of the Year honors last fall.