Trio Earn USTFCCCA All-Academic Honors
by:
Katie GernandAll-America Steve Kiplagat '12 was one of three Saints to earn USTFCCA All-Academic.
Feb. 18: Three members of the St. Lawrence University men's cross country team have been awarded United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic honors, including seniors Dan Ramsey and Jeremy Mwenda and junior Steve Kiplagat.
The trio also helped the men's cross country team earn 2010 Division III All-Academic cross country status as a squad.
"It's both an honor and an expectation that our student-athletes achieve this level of academic recognition," said St. Lawrence head men's cross country and track and field coach John Newman. "I couldn't be more proud of the team and the individuals for receiving this award."
A total of 125 institutions represent 32 conferences that compose the group of All-Academic teams. Seven of the top ten finishing teams at the 2010 NCAA Cross Country Championships earned All-Academic status, including St. Lawrence, which was third at the national championship race.
Meanwhile, a total of 142 student-athletes earned individual All-Academic honors. Ten of the top-20 finishers at the 2010 NCAA Championships earned All-Academic status, including Kiplagat.
To qualify as a USTFCCCA All-Academic Cross Country Team, the team must have had a cumulative team GPA of 3.10 or better and have compiled a score (finished at least five runners) at their respective NCAA regional championship. For individual honors, a student-athlete must have compiled a GPA of 3.30 or greater through the most-recent semester and played in the top-35 at the NCAA Regional Championships.