CSU women's cross country earns team academic honor

Conference champion adds another accolade to outstanding season

March 2, 2008

NEW ORLEANS - The Colorado State women's cross country team continues to add awards after an impressive 2007 season, this time for its work in the classroom.  The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced that CSU is among the 158 women's squads to be named a 2007 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team.

"I am extremely proud of their outstanding work ethic in the classroom," said CSU academic coordinator for women's cross country Angela Wyss. "April (Thomas) is an excellent role model for the younger members of the team. She is a full-package student-athlete; she excels in her sport and in the classroom. This team is really a great group of students to work with."

The Rams were joined by three other teams from the Mountain West in winning the honor: BYU, Utah and Wyoming. Thomas was individually honored last week as one of 91 female student-athletes to be named to the 2007 NCAA Division I USTFCCCA Women's All-Academic Cross Country Team.

Thomas was named the MWC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year after placing first at the conference championship in Albuquerque, N.M. She went on to finish fifth at the Mountain Regionals and 92nd at the NCAA Division I championships. Thomas ran the fastest 6K in the league last season (20:27), at the Bill Dellinger Invite.

In all, 158 Division I women's programs received the honor. There are 325 teams in Division I that sponsor women's cross country.  Of the 158 teams on the list, 35 of them had team GPAs over 3.50. For a team to be considered for the USTFCCCA all-academic team award, it must have competed and compiled a team score at an NCAA regional meet.  The team must also have a minimum 3.00 team cumulative grade point average.

The individual all-academic award honors those student-athletes who have succeeded both academically and athletically. To be eligible for the award a student-athlete must carry a minimum 3.25 cumulative grade point average and have completed a minimum 24 semester hours through the 2007 fall term.  Additionally, the student-athlete must finish in the top 15 runners or top 10 percent of finishers at his/her respective NCAA regional meet, or receive All-America honors.