Cross Country: Team Earns League Award
July 28, 2011 01:31 PM | General
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Continuing to succeed in athletics and schoolwork, the West Virginia women’s cross country team was given the 2010-11 Team Academic Excellence Award for the sport as announced today by the BIG EAST Conference.
Recognizing the team with the highest collective grade point average in each of the league’s 26 sports, the BIG EAST selected the Mountaineers based on the GPA of each student-athlete who appeared on the institution’s roster as of the last contest of the championship segment. At the end of the cross country season, the Mountaineers ranked No. 17 in the nation with a 3.61 overall grade point average.
“What a wonderful honor to have bestowed upon the team,” says WVU coach Sean Cleary. “This honor reflects the commitment that our young ladies have made since arriving on campus as freshmen. This group has run in the Top 10 of nationals three times while managing their academics at the highest level. I am very proud of them.”
Eleven BIG EAST schools had at least one team honored as DePaul finished with a conference-best five teams recognized. Notre Dame and Syracuse had four teams recognized, while Cincinnati, Georgetown, Louisville and St. John’s had two apiece. In addition to WVU, Rutgers and Seton Hall were each represented by one team.
In February, the cross country team was recognized as a United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches of America (USTFCCCA) all-academic team, with Kaitlyn Gillespie and Sarah-Anne Brault receiving individual honors from the organization.
“I would like to thank Paul Downey and the staff in our academic center for their role in this accomplishment,” Cleary says. “My coaching staff, led by Jennifer Davis, and all their time working with our student-athletes per their academics also played a big role. Meeting the team at all hours of the day and juggling class schedules is a testament to our commitment as a staff, department and university to every student’s goals in the classroom.”
The West Virginia cross country team has finished in the Top 10 at the NCAA Championships in three of the last four seasons.
2010-11 BIG EAST Team Excellence Award Winners
Baseball ... St. John’s
Men’s Basketball ... Louisville
Women’s Basketball ... DePaul
Men’s Cross Country ... Rutgers and Villanova
Women’s Cross Country ... West Virginia
Field Hockey ... Georgetown
Football ... Cincinnati
Men’s Golf ... DePaul
Women’s Golf ... Notre Dame
Men’s Lacrosse ... Villanova
Women’s Lacrosse ... Louisville
Women’s Rowing ... Georgetown
Men’s Soccer ... DePaul
Women’s Soccer ... Seton Hall
Softball ... DePaul
Men’s Swimming & Diving ... Notre Dame
Women’s Swimming & Diving ... Cincinnati and Syracuse
Men’s Tennis ... St. John’s
Women’s Tennis ... DePaul
Men’s Indoor Track & Field ... Notre Dame
Women’s Indoor Track & Field ... Syracuse
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field ... Notre Dame
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field ... Syracuse
Women’s Volleyball ... Syracuse
Recognizing the team with the highest collective grade point average in each of the league’s 26 sports, the BIG EAST selected the Mountaineers based on the GPA of each student-athlete who appeared on the institution’s roster as of the last contest of the championship segment. At the end of the cross country season, the Mountaineers ranked No. 17 in the nation with a 3.61 overall grade point average.
“What a wonderful honor to have bestowed upon the team,” says WVU coach Sean Cleary. “This honor reflects the commitment that our young ladies have made since arriving on campus as freshmen. This group has run in the Top 10 of nationals three times while managing their academics at the highest level. I am very proud of them.”
Eleven BIG EAST schools had at least one team honored as DePaul finished with a conference-best five teams recognized. Notre Dame and Syracuse had four teams recognized, while Cincinnati, Georgetown, Louisville and St. John’s had two apiece. In addition to WVU, Rutgers and Seton Hall were each represented by one team.
In February, the cross country team was recognized as a United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches of America (USTFCCCA) all-academic team, with Kaitlyn Gillespie and Sarah-Anne Brault receiving individual honors from the organization.
“I would like to thank Paul Downey and the staff in our academic center for their role in this accomplishment,” Cleary says. “My coaching staff, led by Jennifer Davis, and all their time working with our student-athletes per their academics also played a big role. Meeting the team at all hours of the day and juggling class schedules is a testament to our commitment as a staff, department and university to every student’s goals in the classroom.”
The West Virginia cross country team has finished in the Top 10 at the NCAA Championships in three of the last four seasons.
2010-11 BIG EAST Team Excellence Award Winners
Baseball ... St. John’s
Men’s Basketball ... Louisville
Women’s Basketball ... DePaul
Men’s Cross Country ... Rutgers and Villanova
Women’s Cross Country ... West Virginia
Field Hockey ... Georgetown
Football ... Cincinnati
Men’s Golf ... DePaul
Women’s Golf ... Notre Dame
Men’s Lacrosse ... Villanova
Women’s Lacrosse ... Louisville
Women’s Rowing ... Georgetown
Men’s Soccer ... DePaul
Women’s Soccer ... Seton Hall
Softball ... DePaul
Men’s Swimming & Diving ... Notre Dame
Women’s Swimming & Diving ... Cincinnati and Syracuse
Men’s Tennis ... St. John’s
Women’s Tennis ... DePaul
Men’s Indoor Track & Field ... Notre Dame
Women’s Indoor Track & Field ... Syracuse
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field ... Notre Dame
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field ... Syracuse
Women’s Volleyball ... Syracuse
TV Highlights: Big 12 Baseball Tournament Quarterfinal
Friday, May 22
Steve Sabins, Gavin Kelly, Maxx Yehl | Kansas State Postgame
Friday, May 22
Wren Baker | May 19
Tuesday, May 19
NCAA Selection Show
Wednesday, May 13
