BOSTON – Twenty-eight of America East’s top track & field student-athletes were named to conference's 2016 Outdoor Track & Field men's and women's All-Academic teams on Thursday. The teams consist of student-athletes who excel both academically and athletically.
All-Americans Laura Rose Donegan and Elinor Purrier highlighted the women's team. The duo, both indoor All-Academic selections as well this year, earned first-team All-America status in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at last week's NCAA Championship.
Joining Purrier and Melian were Albany's Mary Adeyeye, Binghamton's Alana MacDonald, Hartford's Savannah Brown and Sara Buckley, Maine's Jaclyn Masters and Shannon O'Neil, UMBC's Sophia Cologer, UMass Lowell's Jaclyn Solimine and Ali Wood, New Hampshire's Amber Short, Stony Brook's Kate Pouder and Vermont's Anna Kaplan.
UMBC's Hassan Omar, the Most Outstanding Track Performer at the America East Outdoor Track & Field Championship, led the men's selections. He was joined by Binghamton's Joe Micelli, Hartford's Chris Helminski and Alex Paterson, Maine's Steven Longfellow and Jesse Orach, New Hampshire's Andrew McFarland and Drew Piazza, Stony Brook's Joe Clark and Vermont's Isaac de la Bruere, Fletcher Hazlehurst, Dan Moroney, Thomas O'Leary and Ian Weider.
To be eligible for All-Academic, student-athletes must have sophomore athletic eligibility, attain a 3.30 minimum grade-point average and a contributor on their team. The squad is voted on by a committee made up of America East student-athlete support and athletic communications administrators as well as faculty athletic representatives.
America East is proud to have one of most comprehensive academic awards programs in the country. In addition to the All-Academic program, Elite 18 Awards are bestowed in each of the conference’s sponsored sports. Additionally, a Scholar-Athlete, someone who distinguishes himself/herself as the top student-athlete in his/her sport, is awarded. From that group, one male and one female is selected the America East Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The conference also recognizes all student-athletes who achieve at least a 3.0 GPA on its Academic Honor Roll, with those achieving a 3.50 average or better receiving Commissioner’s Honor Roll status. The Presidential Scholar-Athlete award recognizes graduating student-athletes who compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher as an undergraduate student. Finally, the Academic Cup is presented to the institution whose student-athletes post the highest grade-point average during that academic year.