June 4, 2009

WACO, Texas - Baylor junior Erin Bedell was named to the ESPN The Magazine Men's Women's Track and Cross Country Academic All-District VI second-team, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced Thursday. The academic all-district award is the first of Bedell's career.

To be eligible for Academic All-America status, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.20 on a 4.00 scale and have reached sophomore standing both academically and athletically.

Bedell, a health science studies major from Plano, Texas, recently finished third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2009 NCAA Midwest Region Championships to automatically qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships next weekend in Fayetteville, Ark.

Bedell ranks sixth in the nation in the steeplechase with a school-record time of 9:58.46 set at the Stanford Invitational.

Last month, Bedell won her second individual Big 12 title, claiming first place in the women's 1,500 meters at the 2009 Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

During the indoor season, Bedell finished second in the women's 3,000 meters at the Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships with a time of 9:14.78 to automatically qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships.

During the cross country season, Bedell earned All-Big 12, All-South Central Region and All-America honors leading Baylor to a 19th-place finish at the NCAA Championships.