March 9, 2010

Center Valley, Pa. - Women's cross country teams from six Patriot League schools and men's teams from five League institutions appear on the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's (USTFCCCA) All-Academic list, it was announced recently. Army, Bucknell, Colgate, Lafayette and Lehigh had both their men and women's teams honored by the organization for their academic standing.

Lehigh's cross country team was the top Patriot League squad on the women's side with a 3.54 cumulative grade-point average, followed by Bucknell, which carried a 3.44. Lafayette was third among Patriot League schools on the women's side with a 3.36 GPA, followed by Navy with a 3.32 GPA. Colgate was fifth at 3.21, while Army appears on the list with a 3.07 GPA.

Five men's cross country teams from the League made the list. Of those five, Colgate had the highest GPA at 3.44, followed closely behind by Lehigh at 3.41. Lafayette was third with an average of 3.31, while Army and Bucknell were found on the list each with a GPA of 3.07.

135 Division 1 men's programs populate the list, while there are 176 on the women's side. Creighton and Vanderbilt tied for the highest GPA among the men's teams at 3.67, while Alabama had the highest average on the women's side at 3.86.

In order for a team to be considered All-Academic by the USTFCCCA, they must have competed and compiled a team score at an NCAA Regional Championship and have a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA. The Scholar Team of the Year award goes to the squad that earned All-Academic Team honors and placed highest among the field at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.