Dec. 9, 2009
IRVING, Texas – A total of 13 student-athletes were named to the 2009 Conference USA All-Academic Cross Country Teams as selected by the league’s sports information directors for cross country. The all-academic team consists of student-athletes who have earned a 3.2 cumulative grade point average or better and is a regular participant on the team. One graduate student, one senior, three juniors and eight sophomores are represented on the two squads.
C-USA Cross Country All-Academic Team Release
John Beattie of Tulsa earns his second consecutive all-academic honor as an MBA student with a 3.37 GPA. The two-time C-USA Male Cross Country Athlete of the Year won his second straight C-USA individual title and was also named to the All-C-USA first team for the second year in a row. Beattie was awarded the C-USA Outstanding Senior honor for his efforts and earned an at-large selection to the NCAA Championships after garnering All-Midwest Regional accolades. Teammate Bill Martin also earned all-academic accolades for carrying a 3.89 GPA as a biochemistry major.
The sophomore duo of Matt Carey and Gabe Cuadra of Rice also earn C-USA All-Academic Team honors for their efforts on and off the course. Carey owns a perfect 4.00 GPA in economics and pre-med and was honored with the Rice University Collaborative Research Center Freshman Chemistry Award. The San Antonio, Texas native also collected two top 10 finishes this season for the Owls. Cuadra earned All-C-USA third team honors this season and collected three top-six finishes along the way. The Friendswood, Texas native is a mathematical economic analysis student with a 3.72 GPA.
Rounding out the men’s all-academic team is Marshall’s Henry Heisey and Mike Mainguy of Tulane. Heisey joins the Thundering Herd as a full ride scholarship recipient of the Yager Foundation for chemistry where he owns a 3.93 GPA. The junior runner returned from a year off to compete in every meet for Marshall. Mainguy also studies chemistry where he maintains a 3.92 GPA. The sophomore participated in Tulane’s Shadow a Student-Athlete Day, while contributing in the Green Wave’s lineup in its first season back since the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
On the women’s side, the junior pair of SMU’s Silje Fjortoft and UCF’s Ocean Cohen makes repeat appearances on the all-academic squad. Fjortoft joins the team as a double-major in sports management and physiology. The All-C-USA first team honoree sports a 3.87 GPA and was also named the South Central Region Athlete of the Year this season. Cohen is a biology student with a 3.50 GPA. The Sarasota, Fla., native turned in a top-20 finish in each of the Knights’ regular season meets this season.
Rhiannon Johns and Kristina Vaughn represent UAB on the all-academic squad. The sophomore duo both own perfect 4.00 GPA’s and were key contributors in the Blazers’ lineup this season. Johns won the individual title at the Earl Jacoby Memorial and was named C-USA Athlete of the Week on Sept. 15. Vaughn’s efforts on the field never fell below fourth-place in UAB’s lineup. The Madison, Ala., native is a biology student.
The sophomore pair of East Carolina’s Tara Wilson and Houston’s Brandi Witte also earn all-academic team accolades. Wilson sports a 3.81 GPA in nursing and was one of the Pirates’ leading runners this season. The Granite Falls, N.C., native paced East Carolina’s lineup her last three times out, including turning in the program’s 12th-best finish in program history at the NCAA Regionals at 67th. Witte competed in every meet for Houston this season and helped the Cougars win both the Johnny Morris Invitational and the LSU Tiger Cross Country Festival. The Wallis, Texas native is a nutrition student with a 3.63 GPA.
Rounding out the 2009 C-USA Cross Country All-Academic Team is Tulsa’s Lana Kelley. Kelley landed on the all-academic team with a 3.37 GPA in nursing. The senior ran a season-best 5K time of 18:30 at the Missouri State Classic earlier this season and helped lead the Golden Hurricane in six meets this season.
2009 C-USA Cross Country Men’s All-Academic Teams
NAME - SCHOOL - YEAR - GPA - MAJOR
Henry Heisey - Marshall - Junior - 3.93 - Chemistry
Matt Carey - Rice - Sophomore - 4.00 - Economics, Pre-Med
Gabe Cuadra - Rice - Sophomore - 3.72 - Mathematical Economic Analysis
Mike Mainguy - Tulane - Sophomore - 3.92 - Chemistry
*John Beattie - Tulsa - Graduate - 3.37 - MBA
Bill Martin - Tulsa - Sophomore - 3.89 - Biochemistry
2009 C-USA Cross Country Women’s All-Academic Teams
NAME - SCHOOL - YEAR - GPA - MAJOR
Tara Wilson - East Carolina - Sophomore - 3.81 - Nursing
Brandi Witte - Houston - Sophomore - 3.63 - Nutrition
*Silje Fjortoft - SMU - Junior - 3.87 - Sport Management/Physiology
Lana Kelley - Tulsa - Senior - 3.37 - Nursing
Rhiannon Johns - UAB - Sophomore - 4.00 - Mathematics
Kristina Vaughn - UAB - Sophomore - 4.00 - Biology
*Ocean Cohen - UCF - Junior - 3.50 - Biology
*Repeat Selection
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