Awards pile up for women's track

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As the 2009 season came to an end, academic awards piled up for the Arkansas Razorback women’s track and field team.

The Southeastern Conference releases a 2009 spring academic honor roll and a 2008-09 freshman academic honor roll. 12 women’s track and field student-athletes earned selection to the 2009 SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll. The list includes seniors two-time All-American Denise Bargiachi, Erin Gray, 2009 All-American Sarah Landau and four-time All-American Dacia Perkins; juniors Megan Jackson, Kristen Keith, Angie Scott, three-time All-American Katie Stripling, Miranda Walker and Ashley Williams and sophomores 2009 All-American Tara Diebold and two-time All-American Catherine White. Additionally, Samantha Learch was named to the 2009 SEC Freshmen Academic Honor Roll.

The University of Arkansas Athletic Department compiles three honor rolls: Academic Champions (4.0), Athletic Director’s List (3.50-3.99) and Athletic Department Honor Roll (3.00-3.49). Diebold, Gray, Landau, Scott and Stripling were named Academic Champions. Bargiachi, two-time All-American Courtenay Brown, Jackson, Kelly Long, Walker, White and Williams earned spots on the Athletic Director’s List. SEC Long Jump Champion Peter-Gaye Beckford, Taylor Johnson, SEC 5,000-meter Champion Christine Kalmer, Keith, Learch, NCAA qualifier Jillian Rosen and Kelly Vrshek were on the Athletic Department Honor Roll.

Earning spots on the 2009 U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association Women’s All-Academic Track and Field Team are Bargiachi, Diebold, Jackson, Landau, Stripling and White.

Arkansas Razorback women’s cross country will open the 2009 season Friday, Sept. 4, at the Arkansas Invitational at Fayetteville’s Agri Park.