Cross Country Teams Earns USTFCCCA All-Academic Team

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA) released its men’s and women’s team and individual academic awards. Eight programs from the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) were included for receiving individual and/or team academic honors. Both men’s and women’s cross country programs at the University of Dallas were among those named All-Academic Teams.

For a team to be considered for this honor, it must have competed and compiled a team score at an NCAA Regional meet and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.10 on a 4.0 scale. Overall, there were 393 teams honored by the USTFCCCA, of which 215 were women’s teams and 178 were men’s teams.

Led by fifth-year head coach Matt Barber, the men’s cross country team tallied a 3.19 GPA, while the women’s team registered a 3.18 mark.

Academic standouts that boast a cumulative 3.5 GPA or greater from the men’s side include: Elijah Depew (Grove City, Pa.), Peter Hedlesky (Florissant, Mo.), John James (Metairie, La.), and Gabe Vazquez (Clive, Iowa). Emma Kate Callahan (Overland Park, Kan.) and Ana Wilhelm (Kiowa, Kan.) claimed this feat on the women’s side. These student-athletes were named to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) National All-Academic Team last fall.

In addition, the Dallas women’s cross country team boasted 11 members on the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Fall Student-Athlete Academic Honor Roll. The men’s team had nine. To qualify for this group, student-athletes must have posted a 3.25 GPA for the term.

To view the entire listed USTFCCCA Team Academic Award winners, click here.