NEW ORLEANS, La. – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced their All-Academic Teams, Individuals and Scholar Athletes of the Year and Concordia-St. Paul had three athletes earn the recognition, one female athlete and two male athletes. This is the first time in program history that CSP has had two male cross country athletes win this award.
Kara Lindberg is now a two time winner of this award, as a team the women's cross-country team had a combined 3.78 GPA which is the fourth highest GPA in all of the NCAA DII women's cross country programs. They also have the highest team GPA in the NSIC.
On the men's team,
Benjamin Allen and
Cole Oslin receive this award. The Concordia men's team have a combined 3.36 GPA which is the 35
th highest in all of the NCAA DII men's cross-country programs.
Taylor Stack of Western Colorado was named the Men's Scholar Athlete of the Year for the 2019 NCAA Division II Cross Country season. Stack, a junior with a 3.79 GPA in biology/chemistry, placed third individually at the 2019 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships in Sacramento, California this past November. He becomes the third athlete from Western Colorado to earn the award.
Stephanie Cotter of Adams State was named the Women's Scholar Athlete of the Year for the 2019 NCAA Division II Cross Country season. Cotter, a sophomore with a 3.42 GPA in exercise science, won the individual crown at the 2019 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships in Sacramento, California this past November. Cotter also shattered the NCAA Championship meet record in 19:15.16 to become the only athlete in Division II history to break the 20-second barrier at the national meet. She is the second athlete from Adams State to earn the award.
Overall, there were 403 women and 263 men who were named All-Academic Individuals in NCAA Division II. In order to qualify for All-Academic distinction, student athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale and finish in the top-30 percent of their respective regional championship meet, among other qualifiers.
Combining their accomplishments in the classroom and in competition during the recently completed academic year, these three were the most exceptional and earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors.
Scholar Athletes of the Year were selected as the highest finishing performers at the NCAA Division II Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships who achieved All-Academic status. Those who won the individual championship titles ranked higher in the tie-breaking process and cumulative GPA is weighed as the final advantage.
Separate awards are given to track athletes and field athletes for indoor and outdoor seasons.
PAST CSP TEAM ACADEMIC HONORS
2005 USTFCCCA Division II All-Academic Team (women #8)
2006 USTFCCCA Division II All-Academic Team (men #1, women #39)
2007 USTFCCCA Division II All-Academic Team (men #9, women #35)
2008 USTFCCCA Division II All-Academic Team (women)
2011 USTFCCCA Division II All-Academic Team (men)
2012 USTFCCCA Division II All-Academic Team (men #6)
2013 USTFCCCA Division II All-Academic Team (men #5, women #15)
2014 USTFCCCA Division II All-Academic Team (men #1, women)
2015 USTFCCCA Division II All-Academic Team (men, women)
2016 USTFCCCA Division II All-Academic Team (women)
2018 USTFCCCA Division II All-Academic Team (men, women #18)
2019 USTFCCCA Division II All-Academic Team (men #35, women #4)
