Feb. 16, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lion men's and women's cross country teams, along with senior captain Kara Millhouse (Boiling Springs, Pa.) have earned United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic standing, announced by USTFCCCA this week. To qualify as a USTFCCCA All-Academic Cross Country Team, the team must have had a cumulative team GPA of 3.00 or better and have started at least five runners at their respective NCAA regional championship, while individuals must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and have either earned USTFCCCA All-America status or finished in the NCAA region's top 15 (or top 10 percent) in 2011.
Millhouse capped a stellar senior campaign this fall, highlighted by a seventh-place and all-conference effort at the Big Ten Cross Country Championships, helping the Nittany Lions to a third-place finish in the team standings. Millhouse was equally as impressive at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships, placing 11th overall for her second-career all-region citation. The Boiling Springs, Pa., native, who made her third-career NCAA cross country appearance this fall, was also instrumental in the Nittany Lions' 13th-place finish at the NCAA Championships - the program's highest standing since 1996. Individually, Millhouse placed 59th overall and 39th in team scoring in 20:42 - narrowly missing All-America status. In the classroom, the senior Kinesiology major boasted a 3.28 cumulative GPA for the fall semester.
Meanwhile, the women's squad was one of 205 Division I squads to earn all-academic status, with all 11 Big Ten members making the list. The Nittany Lion women's cross country squad has earned all-academic status in the last 13 season, all under Director and Head Coach of Track and Field/Cross Country Beth Alford-Sullivan. On men's side, the Nittany Lions captured the honor for the first time since 2006, thanks to a team GPA of 3.05.
The Nittany Lion men also had a solid season last fall, placing sixth at the Big Ten Championships and fourth at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships. A pair of Nittany Lions would advance to the NCAA Championships, with seniors Vince McNally (Paoli, Pa.) toeing the line for the fourth time in his career, and Kyle Dawson (Coatesville, Pa.) qualifying for the third occasion.
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