USTFCCCA 2011 Division I Track & Field All-Academic Teams

NEW ORLEANS - The Western Illinois women's track and field squad added another impressive academic honor as the Fighting Leathernecks earned Division I All-Academic status as announced Thursday (Aug. 11) by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).  

In order to earn the All-Academic distinction, a squad must own a cumulative team grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or better. The Fighting Leathernecks finished the spring 2011 semester with a 3.32 cumulative team GPA, which was the second highest amongst all Summit League schools. Fellow league members South Dakota State (3.44 GPA) and North Dakota State (3.30 GPA) also earned All-Academic status.

This is the second academic honor of the summer for the women's squad. In late June, the Fighting Leathernecks received the Summit League's 2010-11 Team Academic Achievement Award after putting more than half of their student-athletes on the Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence.

The Fighting Leatherneck women also had two student-athletes named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic team, which was announced last week. Senior Nikki Klier and junior Nichole Manning were honored for their exemplary performance both in the classroom and on the track.