Minneapolis, MN — The Pre-College Development Academy (PCDA), a leading post-high school soccer academy, today announced a groundbreaking partnership with Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (A-B Tech), a respected community college based out of Asheville, North Carolina. This collaboration ensures that all PCDA student-athletes, regardless of their future goals, will have access to a robust academic program, allowing them to pursue an Associate's degree alongside their rigorous soccer training.
PCDA National Director for Academics and Educational Partnerships Mathes Mennell said, “The partnership between PCDA and A-B Tech is dedicated to the success of our student-athletes. In A-B Tech, we have partnered with an education partner committed to providing a learner-centric environment focused on prioritizing equity and equality and removing barriers to student success. This approach ensures that PCDA’s student-athletes can thrive both on and off the field. Our shared vision of what student success looks like is fueled by values of excellence, learning, a supportive environment, innovation, inclusiveness, and continuous improvement.”
Through this partnership, PCDA student-athletes will have the opportunity to:
- Earn an Associate's degree: Choose from various Associate's degrees in General Studies or Business, providing a strong foundation for future academic pursuits or career opportunities.
- Choose flexible scheduling: A-B Tech will offer flexible scheduling options to accommodate the demanding training schedule of PCDA athletes.
- Receive academic support: Dedicated academic advisors and tutors from A-B Tech will be available to ensure student-athletes receive the support they need to succeed academically.
“A-B Tech is proud to partner with PCDA to provide our high-quality education to the soccer players participating in this academy,” said A-B Tech Dean of Arts & Sciences Steven Heulett. “While PCDA is not an athletic program of A-B Tech, our partnership with this academy supports our mission of providing meaningful teaching and learning, in this case, to support these students’ pursuits of their goals to become a student-athlete at a bachelor degree-granting institution. A-B Tech’s college transfer pathways are perfectly suited to provide PCDA’s athletes with an opportunity to earn an associate’s degree as a step toward that goal with curricula that are specifically designed to prepare students for their chosen fields at the senior institution.”
About Pre-College Development Academy (PCDA)
PCDA is a unique post-high school soccer academy designed to bridge the gap between high school soccer and the next level. PCDA offers a year-round program that combines elite-level soccer training with a strong academic focus, preparing student-athletes for success in college athletics and beyond.