7/11/07NEW ORLEANS – Tufts University and the University of Wisconsin Platteville men's programs have been respectively named the 2007 Division III USTFCCCA Men's All-Academic Indoor and Outdoor Team's of the Year, the U.S. Track & Field Coaches Association announced on Tuesday.
The All-Academic Outdoor Team of the Year, UW-Platteville, finished in fourth place at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships. The Pioneers have a cumulative 3.032 team GPA, and had four student-athletes named to the USTFCCCA Men's All-Academic team.
"We are very proud to receive this award. We work very hard to place academics first here at UW-Platteville. Our student-athletes do a fantastic job balancing academics and athletics and excelling at both. This recognition is simply the icing on the cake to what was a fantastic season for our athletes and our program," Pioneer head coach James Nickasch said.
Tufts University finished seventh at the Division III Indoor Championships and carries a cumulative 3.330 team grade-point average.
Tufts placed six student-athletes on the USTFCCCA Men's All-Academic team, which was released last week.
"This year we had a great combination of talent, youth, and experience. However, it was how everyone came together that made this team so special. No one questioned there position on the team and everyone understood that their role was integral in the team's success and did everything in their power to ensure that. We had a very talented core of leaders that had succeeded at the highest levels. The combination of veteran experience and youthful fire blended well as the team continually surpassed every expectation. Next year will be difficult, as we say goodbye to a decorated group of seniors. It will be a difficult void to fill, but the future should be exciting as we get to watch this youthful fire evolve into next year's veteran experience," Tufts University head coach Ethan Barron said.
Haverford College topped the Division III Men's list with a 3.426 cumulative GPA, with Nebraska Wesleyan University (3.400) and Gustavus Adolphus College(3.364) rounding out the top three All-Academic teams.
In all, 47 Division III Men's programs were recognized as 2007 All-Academic Track and Field Teams. The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the University Athletic Association each had four All-Academic Track and Field teams.
The selection of the All-Academic Indoor and Outdoor Team's of the Year award is based on a combination of athletic and academic achievements, with the top honor going to the team that had the best finish at the Division III Indoor and/or Outdoor National Championships and also holding the highest cumulative GPA.
To be nominated, a team must carry a minimum 3.000 cumulative GPA.
The 2007 USTFCCCA Division III Men's All-Academic Teams:
Haverford College, 3.426 Nebraska Wesleyan University, 3.400 Gustavus Adolphus College, 3.364 University of Chicago, 3.353 New York University, 3.350 Tufts University, 3.330 Emory University, 3.324 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 3.309 Carnegie Mellon University, 3.270 University of Rochester, 3.270 Washington and Lee University, 3.270 Babson College, 3.260 Westminster College, 3.248 Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, 3.235 Willamette University, 3.210 Macalester College, 3.207 St. Olaf College, 3.200 Oberlin College, 3.170 Washington & Jefferson College, 3.160 Luther College, 3.154 SUNY Geneseo, 3.150 Calvin College, 3.136 Whitworth College, 3.134 Goucher College, 3.130 Aurora University, 3.111 Linfield College, 3.111 Simpson College, 3.110 Hood College, 3.103 Augustana College, 3.100 Springfield College, 3.098 Hope College, 3.080 Milwaukee School of Engineering, 3.070 Ohio Northern University, 3.070 Middlebury College, 3.050 Rochester Institute of Technology, 3.050 Cornell College, 3.040 Wartburg College, 3.036 Muhlenberg College, 3.036 University of Wisconsin Platteville, 3.032 Concordia College, 3.030 Susquehanna University, 3.020 University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, 3.019 Trinity University, 3.018 Capital University, 3.016 North Central College, 3.010 Albion College, 3.004 Ithaca College, 3.000