TicketsCINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati track & field teams, along with 13 individual Bearcats, were selected for USTFCCCA All-Academic Honors, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced today. Nine women and four men were among the individuals to earn recognition following the 2018 track & field season based upon their high academic marks and success in competition during the indoor and outdoor campaigns.
All told, 361 NCAA Division I teams were honored with the Bearcats women being one of 220 squads earning the achievement and the men ranking as one of the 141 teams selected. Individually, 874 women and 624 men earned All-Academic distinction for the year.
To be eligible for the award, individuals must maintain at least a 3.25 cumulative grade-point average and meet one of the following athletic standards: finish the regular season ranked in the Top 96 nationally in an individual event or Top 48 in a relay during the indoor season; or have participated in any round of the NCAA Division I Championships during the outdoor season, which includes the NCAA Preliminary Round (East or West) and NCAA Finals. On a team level, teams must carry a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher and have placed highly at the NCAA Championship events.
// TEAM HONORS
Both Bearcats teams were once again honored as each squad made the grade for the fifth year in a row. The women, who finished a program-record 12th at the NCAA Indoor Championships before tying for 34th outdoors, posted a GPA of 3.45 for the 2017-18 academic year. The men, who finished 52nd indoors, posted a GPA of 3.23.
// ON THE LIST - WOMEN
The women's list of recipients includes nine Bearcats, including repeat honorees Loretta Blaut (3.54), who was the national runner-up in the high jump at both the NCAA Indoor and NCAA Outdoor meets in 2018, Leah Heckaman (3.58) and Bryana Robinson (3.63). Joining that trio are first-time honorees Haisha Bisiolu (3.29), Deanna Gesicki (3.29), Angelica Lightfoot (3.58), Kellsa Mbah (3.44), Irati Mitxelena (3.80) and Juliana Puopolo (3.70).
// ON THE LIST - MEN
Four men earned a place on the USTFCCCA All-Academic lists, including Adrian Valles, who maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while completing his Masters course work. Valles, a two-time recipient of the NCAA Elite 90 Award (highest GPA of all competitors at an NCAA final event), was recently selected to compete for Spain at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin. He is joined on the academic list by Alex Bloom (3.45), Connor Duricky (3.37) and Ben Wollenslegel (3.67).
// BACK FOR MORE
Five of those individuals earned at least their second career honor from the USTFCCCA, including Valles and Blaut, both of whom collected their fourth career accolades. Joining them as multiple-time recipients are Heckaman and Bloom, whom made the list for a third time, and Robinson, who is now a two-time honoree.
2018 USTFCCCA All-Academic Honorees
Team
Cincinnati Women (3.45)
Cincinnati Men (3.23)
Individual (13)
Women (9)
Haisha Bisiolu (3.29)
Loretta Blaut (3.54)
Deanna Gesicki (3.29)
Leah Heckaman (3.58)
Angelica Lightfoot (3.58)
Kellsa Mbah (3.44)
Irati Mitxelena (3.80)
Juliana Puopolo (3.70)
Bryana Robinson (3.63)
Men (4)
Alex Bloom (3.45)
Connor Duricky (3.37)
Adrian Valles (4.00)
Ben Wollenslegel (3.67)
All told, 361 NCAA Division I teams were honored with the Bearcats women being one of 220 squads earning the achievement and the men ranking as one of the 141 teams selected. Individually, 874 women and 624 men earned All-Academic distinction for the year.
To be eligible for the award, individuals must maintain at least a 3.25 cumulative grade-point average and meet one of the following athletic standards: finish the regular season ranked in the Top 96 nationally in an individual event or Top 48 in a relay during the indoor season; or have participated in any round of the NCAA Division I Championships during the outdoor season, which includes the NCAA Preliminary Round (East or West) and NCAA Finals. On a team level, teams must carry a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher and have placed highly at the NCAA Championship events.
// TEAM HONORS
Both Bearcats teams were once again honored as each squad made the grade for the fifth year in a row. The women, who finished a program-record 12th at the NCAA Indoor Championships before tying for 34th outdoors, posted a GPA of 3.45 for the 2017-18 academic year. The men, who finished 52nd indoors, posted a GPA of 3.23.
// ON THE LIST - WOMEN
The women's list of recipients includes nine Bearcats, including repeat honorees Loretta Blaut (3.54), who was the national runner-up in the high jump at both the NCAA Indoor and NCAA Outdoor meets in 2018, Leah Heckaman (3.58) and Bryana Robinson (3.63). Joining that trio are first-time honorees Haisha Bisiolu (3.29), Deanna Gesicki (3.29), Angelica Lightfoot (3.58), Kellsa Mbah (3.44), Irati Mitxelena (3.80) and Juliana Puopolo (3.70).
// ON THE LIST - MEN
Four men earned a place on the USTFCCCA All-Academic lists, including Adrian Valles, who maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while completing his Masters course work. Valles, a two-time recipient of the NCAA Elite 90 Award (highest GPA of all competitors at an NCAA final event), was recently selected to compete for Spain at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin. He is joined on the academic list by Alex Bloom (3.45), Connor Duricky (3.37) and Ben Wollenslegel (3.67).
// BACK FOR MORE
Five of those individuals earned at least their second career honor from the USTFCCCA, including Valles and Blaut, both of whom collected their fourth career accolades. Joining them as multiple-time recipients are Heckaman and Bloom, whom made the list for a third time, and Robinson, who is now a two-time honoree.
2018 USTFCCCA All-Academic Honorees
Team
Cincinnati Women (3.45)
Cincinnati Men (3.23)
Individual (13)
Women (9)
Haisha Bisiolu (3.29)
Loretta Blaut (3.54)
Deanna Gesicki (3.29)
Leah Heckaman (3.58)
Angelica Lightfoot (3.58)
Kellsa Mbah (3.44)
Irati Mitxelena (3.80)
Juliana Puopolo (3.70)
Bryana Robinson (3.63)
Men (4)
Alex Bloom (3.45)
Connor Duricky (3.37)
Adrian Valles (4.00)
Ben Wollenslegel (3.67)