GVSU Sweeps Scholar DII Women's Team of the Year for Second-Straight Year

Release courtesy of Tom Lewis USTFCCCA Communications Manager

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NEW ORLEANS – The women’s track & field program at Grand Valley State University was named as the Scholar Team of the Year in Division II for both 2012 indoor and outdoor seasons by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The squad earned the distinction as a result of being the highest-placing team with at least a 3.00-cumulative GPA at the most recent NCAA indoor and outdoor championship, respectively. In addition, the USTFCCCA announced 83 teams as All-Academic teams for the track & field seasons.

Indoor Track & Field Scholar Team of the Year – Grand Valley State

Outdoor Track & Field Scholar Team of the Year – Grand Valley State

For the second-straight year, Grand Valley State swept Scholar Team of the Year honors. It is GVSU’s third-straight outdoor nod. The Lakers have tallied a 3.28 cumulative team GPA through the 2012 spring semester.

The GVSU women’s team also swept NCAA indoor and outdoor track & field team titles for the second-straight year in 2012. Indoors, the squad scored 94 points in besting Adams State by 43 for the national crown. Outdoors, the Lakers scored 90 points in topping Lincoln (Mo.)’s 79.

The Lakers led the nation with 24 All-Academic individual honorees named yesterday. Among them were National Scholar Athletes of the Year Kristen Hixson, Rachel Patterson, and Betsy Graney. Hixson swept NCAA pole vault titles while Patterson won the national 5000 meter title indoors and 10,000 meters outdoors. Graney was the national champ in the steeplechase.

All-Academic Status Earned by 83 Teams

In addition to the Scholar Teams of the Year, the USTFCCCA also announced the women’s 2011 Division II All-Academic Track & Field Teams. A total of 83 institutions earned the distinction as a result of a cumulative team GPA of 3.00 or better.

Cal Poly Pomona reported the best cumulative team GPA among all NCAA divisions with a 3.80 tally for their women’s program. Rounding out the top three of DII women’s programs are Charleston (W.Va.) (3.72) and Johnson C. Smith (3.63).

The GLIAC had the most teams earn All-Academic honors (11) among the nation’s leagues. The PSAC earned ten while four other conferences notched seven squads on the list.

USTFCCCA 2012 Division II Track & Field All-Academic Teams, WOMEN