Cross Country: Four Earn Academic Honors
March 02, 2009 03:27 PM | General
March 2, 2009
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Four West Virginia University cross country runners have been named to the 2008 NCAA Division I United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Women’s All-Academic Team, announced today.
The honorees are Marie-Louise Asselin, a bio-chemistry major, mathematics major Keri Bland, journalism major Kaylyn Christopher and education major Ahna Lewis.
“These four young ladies led the way for a wonderful team performance on the field this season and it’s a tribute to these student-athletes that they also excel in the classroom,” comments Coach Sean Cleary.
Minnesota placed the most student-athletes on the list with five, followed closely by WVU with four student-athletes receiving All-Academic recognition. A total of 76 Division I female student-athletes received 2008 USTFCCCA Cross Country All-Academic honors, representing 51 Division I institutions.
The award honors student-athletes who have succeeded both academically and athletically. To be eligible for the award a student-athlete must carry a minimum 3.25 cumulative grade point average and must finish among the top 15 finishers (or top 10%) of the field at their respective NCAA regional meet or attain All-American status at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.
WVU finished in fourth place at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, the highest-ever finish in school history, topping last year’s ninth-place finish. The Mountaineers also tied for first at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional and took second at the BIG EAST Championship.
