MOREHEAD, Ky. – The Morehead State cross country and track and field teams garnered United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic honors for the 11th time in the past 17 years after being recognized for their grade-point averages for the 2022 fall season.
The two Eagle squads were among 216 men's programs and 249 women's clubs to be named as USTFCCCA All-Academic Teams.
The MSU women finished the fall semester with a 3.58 cumulative GPA, while the men achieved a 3.31.
"We preach academics first on the cross country and track teams. They are students first and athletes second," said Morehead State head coach
Clay Dixon. "It is great to see their hard work not only pay off in their sport but also in the classroom."
In order to qualify, teams must have a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.0, have entered at least five runners in the regional meet and the coach has to be a member of the USTFCCCA.
Both MSU teams improved their GPAs from 2021.
In the fall of 2021, the MSU women boasted a 3.39, with the men at 3.29.
Since 2006, the Eagles also received the honor in 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Morehead State was not a member of the USTFCCCA in 2020 and therefore did not qualify for the award, although both cross country squads' grade-point averages met the requirement.
The award dates back to 1995-96, but records are incomplete prior to 2006.
Four other Ohio Valley Conference schools also were recognized: Eastern Illinois (men 3.59 GPA, women 3.64 GPA), SIUE (men 3.272, women 3.42), Southeast Missouri (3.72 men, 3.731 women) and Southern Indiana (men 3.311, women 3.532).
Among the other area programs who also were honored as All-Academic Teams, the Eagle men had a better GPA than: Wright State (3.28), Western Illinois (3.253), Miami-Ohio (3.23), IUPUI (3.09), Western Kentucky (3.05) and Murray State (3.00).
On the women's side, MSU boasted a higher overall GPA than: Louisville (3.557), Western Kentucky (3.55), Marshall (3.55), Austin Peay (3.52), IUPUI (3.48), Miami-Ohio (3.43), Xavier-Ohio (3.421), Kentucky (3.374), Western Illinois (3.316) and Wright State (3.14).
Several individual Eagles have stood out for their academic performance.
In 2021-22,
Lucy Singleton and
Jacob Vogelpohl won the OVC Medal of Honor for both cross country and track and field. The award is given to each student-athlete who has the highest GPA in each conference-sponsored sport. Both Singleton and Vogelpohl posted a 4.0 GPA.
The OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll recognizes all conference student-athletes with a GPA of 3.25 or higher.
Justin Bland,
Megan Bush,
Justin Chavez,
Toby Cook,
Cloe Copas,
Isabella Copher,
Michael Dunagan,
Kyle Embry,
Lilly Gray,
Wes Grogan,
Hannah Hostetler,
Sierra Kelley,
Tayla Lee,
Keana Meriwether,
Austin Montgomery,
Cruz Ortiz-Ramirez,
Riliegh Owens, Singleton, Carrie Staviski,
Kyler Stewart, Vogelpohl and
Garrett Watts were all honored last year.
The OVC has not yet presented awards for the 2022-23 year.
In addition, Bland (3.50 GPA, social studies education major), Bush (3.93, art), Cook (3.89, exercise science), Embry (3.93, exercise science), Gray (3.81, early elementary education), Meriwether (3.76, nursing), Singleton (3.92, exercise science), Stewart (3.64, business),
Mary Alice Thornburg (3.56, nursing) and Vogelpohl (4.00, engineering technology) were each named academic all-district this past spring.
