Cross Country Places 7 On Academic All-Big 12 Teams
10/25/2000 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Oct. 25, 2000
WACO, Texas - Seven members of Baylor's cross country team have been named to the Academic all-Big 12 team, it was announced by the conference office Tuesday. Baylor placed four on the women's first team, two on the men's first team and one on the men's second team.
Stephanie Bennett, Erin Dixon, Leah Marbach and Kara Newton were all honored on the women's team. Blair Mathews and Bill Thomas were first-team selections from the men's team, while Alex Adler was named to the second team.
Bennett, a sophomore biology major from Richmond, B.C., was one of 15 athletes on the team with grade point averages of 4.0. Sophomores Dixon and Marbach are currently undecided on majors, while junior Kara Newton is studying secondary education.
Mathews and Thomas, both sophomores, are pre-business majors, while Adler, also a sophomore, is studying history.
"This is a great honor for the kids," Baylor cross country head coach Todd Harbour said. "We have some very studious kids right now, and we're trying to recruit kids that will fit that mold. I don't know if there is a correlation with discipline in distance running and academics, but there may be."
To qualify for academic all-conference honors, student-athletes must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, either on a cumulative basis or over the two previous semesters. The student-athlete must also have participated in at least 60 percent of his or her team's scheduled contests. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Seniors who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are also eligible.
Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, this years teams were made up of 55 women and 50 men. Those with grade point averages of 3.2 or higher or named to the first team, those with grade point averages between 3.0 and 3.19 are named to the second team.
