Seven named to USTFCCCA All-Academic Team

FAYETTEVILLE – Seven members of the University of Arkansas men’s track and field team were named to the 2012 Division I All-Academic Track & Field Team, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The Razorbacks are represented on the list by Lane Boyer, Kyle Dunn, Brede Ellingsen, Nathanael Franks, Scott Gillespie, Noah Kittelson and Duncan Phillips.

Boyer (4.000, geology) was the SEC outdoor champion at 5,000 meters and advanced to the NCAA West Preliminary at 5,000 and 10,000 meters. The Fredonia, Kan., native was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American in June. Dunn (3.852, computer science) competed at the NCAA West Preliminary in the 400-meter hurdles and had a season-best time of 51.26 in the event.

Ellingsen (3.458, transportation) was the Drake Relays champion in the high jump with a season-best clearance of 2.18m/7-1.75. Franks (3.897, chemistry/physics) finished sixth at the SEC Indoor Championships in the heptathlon with a season-high score of 5,424 points. Gillespie (3.636, marketing) was part of the Razorbacks’ distance-medley relay that won an SEC indoor title.

Kittelson (3.373, biology) advanced to the NCAA Indoor Championships with an indoor best of 2.22m/7-3.25 and was also a participant at the NCAA West Preliminary during the outdoor season. Phillips (3.320, history) finished seventh at 1,500 meters at the NCAA Championships and was the SEC champion in the event during his final season at Arkansas.

Among the men’s teams in the Southeastern Conference, Arkansas had the most selections with seven. Overall, the league had 27 student-athletes receive USTFCCCA all-academic honors.   

To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track & Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade-point average of 3.25 and have met either of the established athletic standards. For the indoor season, a student-athlete must have finished the regular season ranked in the national top 96 in an individual event or ranked in the national top 48 in a relay event on the official NCAA POP list provided by TFRRS.com. For the outdoor season, a student-athlete must have participated in any round of the NCAA Division I Championships, including preliminary rounds.

A total of 431 student-athletes from 148 different Division I institutions earned all-academic accolades from the organization. The women’s team is scheduled to be released Wednesday. For more information regarding Razorback track and field or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.