DePaul University Athletics
Cross Country Honored for Academic Achievement
2/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | CROSS COUNTRY
CHICAGO The DePaul men’s and women’s cross country teams were recognized this week for their performance in the classroom. Both Blue Demon squads earned All-Academic Cross Country Team honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
To earn All-Academic Honors, a squad must compile a team score at an NCAA Regional Championship while recording a team grade-point average of 3.0 or higher. This year, the USTFCCCA recognized 159 women’s teams and 99 men’s teams for their achievements.
The DePaul women’s team boasts a cumulative GPA of 3.55, which ties for 25th among all Division I squads. Boston College, Kentucky and BIG EAST Conference member Syracuse also hold team GPAs of 3.55.
The Blue Demon men tie for 94th among all Division I teams with a 3.00 team GPA. Pepperdine, California-Riverside, Montana, Iona and Michigan State also carry team GPAs of 3.00.
BIG EAST member South Florida leads all women’s squads with a team GPA of 3.78, while Belmont tops the men’s honorees with a team GPA of 3.57. The BIG EAST was widely recognized by the USTFCCCA, with nine women’s teams and seven men’s teams earning All-Academic honors.
The USTFCCCA bestowed Team of the Year Honors on the Stanford women and the Iona men. The Cardinals won their third consecutive NCAA Championship in November while maintaining a team GPA of 3.47. The Gaels placed second at the 2007 NCAA Championship while holding a 3.00 team GPA.
Several Blue Demon women posted outstanding academic performances during the fall quarter; as Dana Augustine, Terah Cheatham and Maureen Kuhta all recorded perfect 4.00 GPAs. The NCAA Midwest Regional Championships saw DePaul place 18th in the women’s race and 22nd in the men’s competition.