Cross country teams honored for academics
2/18/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Cross Country
Feb. 18, 2011
The University of Montana's women's and men's cross country teams both earned 2010 USTFCCCA Division I All-Academic status for the second straight year the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches of America announced recently.
To be eligible for the annual award, cross country teams must have registered a 3.00 cumulative grade point average through the fall semester and competed with at least five athletes at the previous November's NCAA regionals.
The women's cross country team, which won the 2010 Big Sky Conference championship and placed sixth at the NCAA Mountain Regional, had a 3.40 GPA for the fall semester and has a 3.42 cumulative GPA, second-highest in the department behind the volleyball team's 3.44.
The men's team, eighth at the Big Sky championships and 16th at regionals, had a 2.91 fall semester GPA and just qualified for All-Academic status with a 3.00 cumulative GPA.
The Big Sky Conference had five programs that pulled a women's-men's double: Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Northern Arizona and Weber State.
One hundred ninety two women's programs were recognized from the 2010 season from 30 conferences.
Villanova, which won its second straight NCAA title last November, was selected as the Division I Scholar Team of the Year. The Scholar Team of the Year is awarded to the program that finished highest at the NCAA national meet, while also earning All-Academic status.
Alabama had the highest team GPA of 3.88.
One hundred fifty two men's programs were honored from 31 conferences.
Florida State, which finished second to Oklahoma State at the national championships, was named Scholar Team of the Year.
Mississippi Valley State had the highest team GPA of 3.62.
