July 9, 2009

Courtesy of USTFCCCA

NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced Thursday that Ashland University was selected as the 2009 Men’s Indoor Track and Field Scholar Team of the Year and as the 2009 Outdoor Track and Field Scholar Team of the Year.

Ashland capped a solid indoor campaign with a fourth-place finish at the 2009 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships in March. Ashland earlier won the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships The Eagles faired equally well in the classroom in 2009, with a 3.050 team cumulative GPA.

In addition to Indoor Track and Field Scholar Team of the Year Ashland, six other teams with top-25 national finishes at the 2009 Division II Indoor Championships earned All-Academic Team honors for their academic and athletic performance.

Ashland also earns the 2009 Outdoor Track and Field Scholar Team of the Year honors after finishing sixth at the 2009 Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships in May. Ashland completed their GLIAC track and field sweep with a win at the conference's Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Ashland is joined on the All-Academic Team list by five additional top-25 outdoor finishers.

DIVISION II ALL-ACADEMIC TRACK AND FIELD TEAMS

In addition to the Indoor and Outdoor Scholar Team of the Year, the USTFCCCA also announced the men's 2009 Division II All-Academic Track and Field Teams. A total of 27 Division II programs made up the men's 2009 All-Academic Teams.

University of Tampa led all institutions with a 3.390 team cumulative GPA, followed by The University of the Incarnate Word with a 3.314 team GPA. The University of Tampa also had the highest track and field team GPA in 2008.

The GLIAC led all conferences with six teams selected as All-Academic Teams for 2009 - Ashland, The University of Findlay, Grand Valley State University, Lake Superior State University, Michigan Technological University, and Tiffin University - followed closely by the Great Lakes Valley Conference and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference with four team selections each.

The selection of the All-Academic Indoor and Outdoor Scholar Teams of the Year award is based on a combination of academic and athletic achievements, with the top honor going to the team that had the combination of best overall finish at the respective Division II Indoor or Outdoor National Championships and cumulative GPA.

To be nominated, the team must carry a minimum 3.000 cumulative grade-point average.

2009 USTFCCCA Division II Men's All-Academic Track and Field Teams: