Ferris Cross Country Teams Garner Academic Recognition
FSU Earns NCAA-II Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Team Honors
 | | Sophomore Kurt Kramer helped Ferris State rank among the nation's top 25 academic teams during the 2002 campaign |
The Ferris State University men’s and women’s cross country squads both earned 2002 NCAA Division II Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Team honors as announced Thursday (April 17) by seventh-year FSU head coach Jeff Kavalunas, who serves as the association’s all-academic coordinator for NCAA Division II.
The selection of the all-academic teams was based on cumulative grade point averages submitted by member head coaches for the fall 2002 academic term. All teams above a cumulative 3.00 grade point average (gpa) and individuals with a 3.25 gpa or higher were honored for their performance.
The Ferris State women’s team garnered team academic laurels for the fifth consecutive season as a result of placing ninth nationally among 60 schools recognized with a 3.56 team gpa. FSU was one of four Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC)-member schools in the top 25. Ashland (Ohio) University finished 12th overall (3.54 gpa) while the University of Findlay (Ohio) and Grand Valley State University tied for 23rd place (3.43 gpa). Montana State University-Billings received top honors for the second-straight season by recording a 3.82 gpa. FSU placed 20th (3.10 gpa) in 2001.
The Bulldogs were 24th overall of 31 men’s teams selected with a 3.10 gpa. Fort Hays State (Kan.) University garnered top academic team recognition for the second consecutive year after posting a 3.78 gpa. Wayne State University placed sixth overall (3.31 gpa), Ashland finished 10th (3.25 gpa), Findlay tied for 12th (3.21 gpa) and Saginaw Valley State University took 25th place (3.09 gpa) as five league schools ranked among the nation’s top 25 teams. The Bulldog men’s cross country team, which placed 24th overall (3.13 gpa) in 2000, has earned all-academic team laurels three consecutive seasons to date.
Both the Ferris State men’s and women’s cross country teams finished eighth overall at the 2002 GLIAC Cross Country Championships (10/26), which were held at Kensington Metropark in Milford, Mich.
Individually, Ferris had four student-athletes receive GLIAC All-Academic Team recognition during the 2002 campaign. The Bulldog men’s program was represented by sophomore Kurt Kramer (Pewamo/Pewamo-Westphalia) and senior Steve Picucci (Brighton) while sophomores Stefanie DeLong (Muskegon/Whitehall) and Mary Miller (Sault Ste. Marie) garnered women’s individual all-academic team honors. Picucci also claimed second-team All-GLIAC accolades with a 14th-place (25:41.6) finish at the league championships.
|
