The JCSU women's track & field team earns USTFCCCA All-Academic Team status for the third consecutive year
New Orleans, LA – The Johnson C. Smith University women's track and field team earned the third highest grade point average in the nation amongst all Division II programs en route to receiving All-Academic Team status from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
A total of 83 institutions earned the distinction as a result of a cumulative team GPA of 3.00 or better. Johnson C. Smith University represents the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) as the only institution from the conference to receive this honor.
Grand Valley State University was named as the Scholar Team of the Year in Division II for both 2012 indoor and outdoor seasons. GVSU earned the distinction as a result of being the highest-placing team with at least a 3.00-cumulative GPA at the most recent NCAA indoor and outdoor championship, respectively.
Cal Poly Pomona reported the best cumulative team GPA among all NCAA divisions with a 3.80 tally for their women's program. Rounding out the top three of DII women's programs are Charleston (W.Va.) (3.72) and Johnson C. Smith (3.63).
Six Golden Bulls from the women's track & field team collected All-Academic Award as scholar student-athletes. Junior
Naffene Briscoe (St. Catherine, Jamaica), senior
Rosemarie Carty (St. Andrew, Jamaica), senior
Sasha-Gay Cunningham (Clarendon, Jamaica), freshman
Samantha Elliott (Kingston, Jamaica), senior
Monique Kelly (St. Andrew, Jamaica), and sophomore
Danielle Williams (St. Andrew, Jamaica) were the six JCSU honorees.
Seniors
Rosemarie Carty and
Monique Kelly have been recognized their entire collegiate career with All-Academic status. This is a second time honor for Briscoe, Cunningham, and Williams. And of course, as a freshman, Elliott earns her first All-Academic distinction. As a collective team, JCSU has been acknowledged with All-Academic Team status the last three seasons.
“This is a great distinction for our program; these young ladies have worked very diligently in the classroom and this honor is just as important as All-American status,” said JCSU head track and field coach
Lennox Graham. “I'm proud of our student-athletes, who earned All-Academic status and our team, I'm confident our men's team will be recognized as well.”