Bears Land 13 Individuals on USTFCCCA All-Academic Teams

St. Louis, Mo., August 6, 2010 – The Washington University in St. Louis men’s and women’s track and field teams were each honored by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as 2010 All-Academic Teams, it was announced by the association. Additionally, Washington U. had a total of 13 student-athletes earn individual USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field honors.

The Washington U. men’s team posted a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.420 in 2010, the seventh highest among the 68 Division III institutions to earn All-Academic Team recognition. The WU women maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.570 in 2010, the fourth-highest mark among 110 teams honored by the USTFCCCA. The University Athletic Association (UAA) had five members represented on both the men’s and women’s All-Academic Track teams.

Eight members of the Washington University women’s track and field team and five from the men’s squad were eligible individually for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team. For the WU women, junior Kelli Blake, senior Hana Damore, sophomore Erica Jackey, junior Jessica Londeree, sophomore Elizabeth Phillips, senior Hope Rathnam, senior Molly Schlamb and junior Taryn Surtees qualified for the team. On the men’s side, senior Alden Black, sophomore Michael Burnstein, junior Ben Harmon, sophomore Tyler Jackson, and junior Dave Spandorfer earned the honor.

Selections for the individual All-Academic Track and Field Team are dependent on the student-athlete compiling a cumulative GPA of at least 3.30 in addition to meeting either an automatic or provisional NCAA Division III qualifying standard in their respective event. In order to be nominated for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team program, a team must carry a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.100.