BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn bowling team earned national recognition this week for their work in the classroom, as seven Blackbirds earned National Tenpin Coaches Association individual academic awards, and the team earned an NTCA All-Academic Team Award. LIU finished the year with the ninth highest team GPA in the nation, at 3.548.

Each season, the NTCA recognizes NCAA bowling teams who have excelled academically. To be recognized, programs must have a cumulative team GPA of a 3.2 or higher for the academic school year. For the 2017-18 academic school year, a record breaking 38 bowling programs achieved a cumulative team GPA of 3.2 or higher. LIU finished ninth in the nation, with a team GPA of 3.548.

Seven Blackbirds were also recognized for their individual work in the classroom, earning All-Academic honors. To be recognized, a student athlete must have a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher for the academic school year. This year there are 268 honorees, representing NCAA bowling programs at 55 schools. This is a record for both individuals and schools since the inception of the award in 2006.

For LIU, Alyssa Balicki, Sarah Florence, Kellie Frain, Kristina Genova, Kayla Johnson, Lauren McKowen and Marlee Tyler were all honored individually for their work in the classroom.