DePaul University Athletics
Cross Country Squads Honored for Academic Achievements
3/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | CROSS COUNTRY
CHICAGO The DePaul men’s and women’s cross country teams were recognized this week for their exceptional performances in the classroom. Both squads were named All-Academic Cross Country Teams by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
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 acknowledged 160 women’s teams and 110 men’s teams for their achievements.
The women’s squad boasts a cumulative GPA of 3.637, which ranks as the 11th highest GPA among all Division I teams. South Carolina holds the top GPA with 3.767, while Washington State was named the 2008 NCAA Division I USTFCCCA Women’s Cross Country Scholar Team of the Year. The Huskies earned a 3.535 GPA and winning the 2008 NCAA Cross Country Championships.
With a cumulative GPA of 3.431, the DePaul men’s team owns the 13th highest GPA in the country. Iona took home the Scholar Team of the Year trophy for the third straight year after placing second in the 2008 NCAA Cross Country championships while maintaining a 3.05 GPA. Vanderbilt earned the highest cumulative GPA with a 3.76.
The BIG EAST Conference and Big Ten Conference tied for the most conference members represented on the women’s list with 11 teams each, while the BIG EAST made five appearances on the men’s list.
| USTFCCCA All-Academic Top-25 Women | |||
| Rank | Institution | Conference | GPA |
| 1 | South Carolina | SEC | 3.767 |
| 2 | Alabama-Tuscaloosa | SEC | 3.751 |
| 3 | Idaho | Western Athletic | 3.730 |
| 4 | South Dakota State | Summit League | 3.680 |
| 5 | Lipscomb | Atlantic Sun | 3.680 |
| 6 | Nebraska | Big 12 | 3.664 |
| 7 | Utah | Mountain West | 3.656 |
| 8 | West Virginia | BIG EAST | 3.650 |
| 9 | Utah State | Western Athletic | 3.640 |
| 10 | Quinnipiac | Northeast | 3.640 |
| 11 | DePaul | BIG EAST | 3.637 |
| 12 | Coastal Carolina | Big South | 3.362 |
| 13 | Louisville | BIG EAST | 3.627 |
| 14 | Bowling Green State | Mid-American | 3.618 |
| 15 | Evansville | Missouri Valley | 3.602 |
| 16 | Central Michigan | Mid-American | 3.595 |
| 17 | Austin Peay State | Ohio Valley | 3.594 |
| 18 | Villanova | BIG EAST | 3.587 |
| 19 | Dayton | Atlantic 10 | 3.584 |
| 20 | Ohio | Mid-American | 3.564 |
| 21 | Illinois State | Missouri Valley | 3.560 |
| 22 | Yale | Ivy Group | 3.560 |
| 23 | High Point | Big South | 3.560 |
| 24 | Indiana | Big Ten | 3.550 |
| 25 | Missouri | Missouri Valley | 3.548 |
| USTFCCCA All-Academic Top-25 Men | |||
| Rank | Institution | Conference | GPA |
| 1 | Vanderbilt | SEC | 3.755 |
| 2 | Utah State | Western Athletic | 3.730 |
| 3 | Wagner | Northeast | 3.700 |
| 4 | Louisville | BIG EAST | 3.632 |
| 5 | Belmont | Atlantic Sun | 3.580 |
| 6 | Yale | Ivy Group | 3.520 |
| 7 | Creighton | Missouri Valley | 3.500 |
| 8 | IUPU-Fort Wayne | Summit League | 3.491 |
| 9 | Cincinnati | BIG EAST | 3.471 |
| 10 | Dayton | Atlantic 10 | 3.457 |
| 11 | Weber State | Big Sky | 3.450 |
| 12 | Detroit Mercy | Horizon League | 3.448 |
| 13 | DePaul | BIG EAST | 3.431 |
| 14 | Montana State | Big Sky | 3.430 |
| 15 | Wright State | Horizon League | 3.411 |
| 16 | Drake | Missouri Valley | 3.410 |
| 17 | North Carolina-Wilmington | Colonial Athletic Association | 3.400 |
| 18 | Stanford | Pacific-10 | 3.399 |
| 19 | Southeast Missouri State | Ohio Valley | 3.388 |
| 20 | Southern Illinois | Missouri Valley | 3.380 |
| 21 | Butler | Horizon League | 3.363 |
| 22 | Georgia Tech | ACC | 3.360 |
| 23 | Siena College | Metro Atlantic Athletic | 3.350 |
| 24 | Lipscomb | Atlantic Sun | 3.340 |
| 25 | Loyola (Maryland) | Metro Atlantic Athletic | 3.336 |