Feb. 27, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lions women's cross country team can add another honor to its list of accomplishments for the 2007 season, earning all-academic team honors from the United State Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). All-region finishers Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio), and Cheryl Spring (The Woodlands, Texas) garnered all-academic laurels individually, both earning the award for the second-straight year.
The Nittany Lion women, who finished fourth at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional this fall, coming up just shy of a berth at the national championships, concluded the fall semester with an impressive 3.42 GPA, well over the 3.00 minimum requirement for the award. The Lions were one of 158 women's programs to earn all-academic status, and one of nine Big Ten programs.
Franek, a sophomore Kinesiology major, and Spring, a sophomore studying Science, were two of 91 athletes from 62 Division I institutions to earn the distinction. Franek finished fourth at the regional championships last fall, gaining her second-career trip to the NCAA Cross Country Championships, while Spring to 23rd-overall at the regional meet, her second-straight all-region finish.
The award honors those student-athletes who have succeeded both academically and athletically. To be eligible for the award a student-athlete must carry a minimum 3.25 cumulative grade point average and have completed a minimum 24 semester hours through the 2007 fall term. Additionally, the student-athlete must finish in the top 15 runners or top ten percent of finishers at their respective NCAA regional meet, or receive All-American honors.