USTFCCCA All-Academic: Six Jackrabbits Honored

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The South Dakota State men's and women's track & field and cross country teams were named all-Academic teams in NCAA Division I Track & Field by U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Thursday.

MEN - XC: 3.41 GPA | TF: 3.26 GPA
XC: The men's cross country team has been honored 10 out of the last 11 seasons since becoming division I (first in the 2006-07 season, missing the 2011-12 season) and the last six consecutive seasons. Their cumulative GPA of 3.41 is their second-highest GPA behind the 2014-15 season (3.49 GPA).

TF: The men's track and field team received their 10th consecutive All-Academic team honor since the 2007-08 season, adding the highest cumulative GPA of 3.26 this season. Their previous-best mark was last season at 3.18. The team had the highest GPA among the two other Summit League schools honored (North Dakota State - 3.23 GPA, South Dakota - 3.22 GPA).

Individually: Junior Kyle Burdick was honored as All-Academic by the USTFCCCA for the first time in cross country and second consecutive time in track and field. It is the third straight year a Jackrabbit was honored individually during a cross country season (since the 2015-16 season).

Senior Colton Bender joined Burdick, who also earned his second-consecutive All-Academic honor by the USTFCCCA in track and field. It's the third consecutive season multiple State runners have been honored in a track and field season and fifth time overall (2009-10, 2010-11 & since 2015-16).

WOMEN - XC: 3.68 GPA | TF: 3.54 GPA
XC: The women's cross country team has been named to the All-Academic team list by the USTFCCCA for the sixth consecutive time, 10th overall, since becoming division I (first in the 2007-08 season, missing the 2011-12 season). The team's cumulative GPA of 3.68 is tied for the third-highest with the 2008-09 season (3.72 GPA in 2007-08, 3.69 GPA in 2016-17).

TF: The women's track and field team has been named to the All-Academic list by the USTFCCCA for the 12th consecutive time since being division I (first in the 2005-06 season). Their cumulative GPA of 3.54 is the best as a team in the 12 honors, beating their next-highest of 3.48 GPA last season. The team was tied for the second-highest GPA among the four other Summit League schools honored (North Dakota State - 3.64 GPA, South Dakota - 3.54 GPA).

Individually: Junior Rachel King was honored for the first time in her career in cross country and the third consecutive time in track and field by the USTFCCCA. King has been nominated four total times individually, inching ahead of Sara Ackman (2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10) and Michelle Schuch (2006-07, 2008-09, 2009-10) who were nominated three times each.

Senior Vanessa Lane and junior Kasie Vollmer recorded their second consecutive individual accolades, while junior Krista Steele notched her first career honor by the USTFCCCA.

Four SDSU student-athletes honored individually is the second-most behind last season where five were honored. Since the 2008-09 season (nine consecutive seasons), multiple Jackrabbits have been named individually.

Selection Process:
Cross Country

Awarded to all nominated student-athletes who meet the following criteria:
1. Cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period. Institutions utilizing a different GPA scale must convert the GPA to a 4.0 scale using the standard conversion method [GPA/Scale x 4.0].
2. USTFCCCA Division I Cross Country All-American finisher or top 15 finisher (or top 10%) at an NCAA Division I Cross Country Regional meet.
3. Completed a minimum of one (1) semester or one (1) quarter at the nominating institution.
4. Written nomination of the student-athlete's coach.
Nomination forms are available online at the USTFCCCA website and must be received by the national office before the deadline published by the national office.

Track and Field

Awarded to all nominated student-athletes who meet the following criteria:
1. Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period, certifiable by either NCAA Faculty Rep or NCAA Compliance Coordinator or Registrar's Office. Institutions utilizing a different GPA scale must convert the GPA to a 4.0 scale using the standard conversion method [GPA/Scale x 4.0].
2. Must have completed at least two (2) semesters or three (3) quarters at the nominating institution.
3. Athletic criteria for the award can be met in either the indoor season or the outdoor season:
  1. For the indoor season: must have finished the season ranked in the top 96 in any championship individual event, or in the top 48 in any championship relay event, for the most recent indoor season, certifiable by their place on the NCAA Division I descending order lists on TFRRS for Indoor Track and Field.
  2. For the outdoor season: must have participated in any round of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships (the Preliminary Championship Competition and/or the Final Championship Competition) or for the multi-events, must have finished the outdoor season ranked in the top 48 in the East or top 48 in the West, certifiable by their place on the NCAA Division I descending order lists on TFRRS for Outdoor Track and Field.
Forms are available online at the USTFCCCA website and must be submitted to the national office before the deadline published by the national office.
All-Academic criteria are not separated into indoor and outdoor seasons.

-GoJacks.com-

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Players Mentioned

Colton Bender

Kyle Burdick

Rachel King

Vanessa Lane

Krista Steele

Kasie Vollmer

South Dakota State University Athletics