February 18, 2011

Grand Valley State Named D-II Women's Cross Country Scholar Team of the Year

Release courtesy of the USTFCCCA

NEW ORLEANS – The Lakers of Grand Valley State University are the USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Women’s Scholar Team of the Year for the 2010 cross country season as announced Friday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). GVSU won the women’s NCAA Division II cross country crown in the fall.

Scholar Teams of the year are determined from among those who earned All-Academic status and placed highest as a team at the most recent NCAA Championships.


USTFCCCA NCAA Division II

Cross Country Women’s Scholar Team of the Year – Grand Valley State

The Lakers, coached by Jerry Baltes, has a cumulative team GPA through the 2010 fall semester of 3.37. Grand Valley State won their first NCAA team title in the fall with a 66-point effort to best nearest challenger Western State (95). Grand Valley placed two runners, Katherine McCarthy and Megan Maceratini, in the race’s top ten. GVSU’s remaining five finished in the race’s top 35. The Lakers had previously finished as national runner-up in three of the previous five national championships.

GVSU’s Maceratini, Kylen Cieslak, Monica Kinney, and Julia Nowak earned All-Academic status earlier in the week.
The Lakers in the fall also won a tenth-straight NCAA Midwest Region title with a dominant 26-79 victory over Ferris State by placing four runners in the region’s top eight. GVSU also won the GLIAC title for the tenth straight year, winning the 2010 race with just 18 points.


Past Winners

2010: Grand Valley State

2009: Adams State

2008: Adams State

2007: Adams State

2006: Adams State
 

107 Teams Earn All-Academic Status

In addition to the Scholar Team of the Year, the USTFCCCA also announced those women’s teams who earned 2010 Division II All-Academic Cross Country status.
A total of 107 institutions represent 22 conferences that compose the group. The PSAC led all conferences with 14 members earning All-Academic honors and was followed by the GLIAC which had 10 listed.
Division II newcomers King College reported the highest cumulative team GPA among All-Academic honorees with a 3.77. Gannon followed with a 3.74.
Eight of the top ten finishing teams at the 2010 NCAA Cross Country Championships earned All-Academic status. Of the 24 teams that participated in the national final, 19 of those earned All-Academic status. In addition, six of eight NCAA regional championship teams earned All-Academic honors.

To qualify as a USTFCCCA All-Academic Cross Country Team, the team must have a cumulative team GPA of 3.00 or better and have compiled a score (finished at least five runners) at their respective NCAA regional championship.

USTFCCCA 2010 Division II Cross Country All-Academic Teams, WOMEN (GLIAC Only)

  

INSTITUTION

CONFERENCE

GPA

Ashland University

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

3.60

Ferris State University

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

3.52

The University of Findlay

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

3.68

Grand Valley State University

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

3.37

Hillsdale College

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

3.24

Lake Erie College

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

3.03

Lake Superior State University

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

3.42

Michigan Technological University

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

3.51

Northern Michigan University

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

3.49

Tiffin University

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

3.33

Click here for the complete release on teh USTFCCCA web site