RELEASE DATE: 2/03/07

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sanford, Hall, and Learn Pick Up All-Academic XC Honors -- Mountie Women Earn Team Honor

MANSFIELD – Three members of the Mountaineer cross country team earned Division II All-Academic honors as announced by the US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Dave Sanford, Rachel Hall, and Tricia Learn were all honored along with the Mountaineer women's team which earned All-Academic Team Honors.

The U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced Thursday that 92 women’s programs are Division II All-Academic Teams for the 2006 cross country season.

For schools to qualify as an All-Academic Team, the student-athletes on their NCAA squad list must have a cumulative team GPA of 3.0 or higher. The Mountaineer women tallied a 3.170 cumulative team GPA to earn the honor.

To qualify for individual Division II All-Academic honors, a student-athlete must have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.25 (on 4.0 scale) and finish in the top 30 at the regional cross country championships.

Dave Sanford earned the honor in his first semester at Mansfield while Rachel Hall and Tricia Learn represented the women's team.

"We've got such great student-athletes on our squads," says coach Mike Rohl. "They put academics before athletics and still excel at both."

The Mountaineers are now midway through the indoor track season with the CTC Championships on the horizon. Sanford and Hall are amongst the PSAC leaders in their respective events this winter while Learn will represent Mansfield in the PSAC swimming Championships later this month.

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