BENNINGTON, Vt. — The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) has announced its 2015 cross country team academic award winners and all-academic individual laurels with both the Southern Vermont College men’s and women’s cross country teams earning the team honors while junior Justin Ferguson (Broadalbin, N.Y.) picked up an individual accolade.
To be eligible for the USTFCCCA squad award, teams must have posted a collective cumulative grade point average of 3.1 or better following the fall semester and met the NCAA requirement of at least five runners participating in a minimum of five events during the 2015 season. The SVC men’s squad registered a 3.1 on the dot while the Mountaineers’ women’s side tallied a 3.28.
“This is great for both the women's and men's teams,” exclaimed SVC third-year head coach Kathleen Newton. “I'm very proud of them. It shows that they have dedication and drive in the classroom along with their ability to be competitive, driven athletes. It's a balance that we discuss throughout the season. Taking pride in all you do and giving your best effort at all times.
“It's a privilege to be a student-athlete, and a sense of pride is important to accomplish both. We emphasize that: ‘This is your education, a stepping stone to your future and success.’ Being mindful of academics is the driving force, and we impress upon them that athletics can enhance their experience and make them a better student-athlete.”
For runners to make the individual award listing, one must post a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher after the fall semester; they must also place in the top 25 percentile of finishers at their respective NCAA Division III Regional Championship (first 95 finishers for the New England men’s race and first 98 finishers for the New England women’s race) or the top 50 percentile of finishers at the NCAA National Championship (first 140). Ferguson met the GPA threshold while finishing the New England Regional Championship in third place (26:31), the best spot ever in program history for an NCAA event. He is the first Mountaineer from SVC to ever collect a USTFCCCA individual honor.
“For Justin to accomplish so much, both academically and athletically, is wonderful,” added Newton. “He raised the bar for our entire team. He demonstrated that you can be very successful in the classroom, and as a collegiate athlete.”
The USTFCCCA is the non-profit professional organization that represents men's and women's cross country and track & field coaches in the United States. The organization represents over 8,000 coaching members, including 91 percent of NCAA coaches. USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & field coaches, providing a leadership structure to assist the needs of a diverse membership, serving as a lobbyist for coaches' interests, and working as a liaison between the various stakeholders in the sports of cross country and track & field.
For a complete list of Division III teams to earn the 2015 cross country academic award, go to: http://www.ustfccca.org/2016/02/awards/ncaa-diii-cross-country-team-academic-awards-2015.
To see a full listing of the 2015 USTFCCCA cross country individual honorees, visit: http://www.ustfccca.org/2016/02/awards/ncaa-diii-cross-country-individual-academic-awards-2015.