Bowling Green State University Athletics
Track Team Named All-Academic; Three Individuals Earn Recognition
July 20, 2015 | Women's Track and Field
New Orleans, La. – The Bowling Green State University track and field team was named an All-Academic Team by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) this weekend, while Aliyah Gustafson, Brooke Pleger and Makenzie Wheat were named USTFCCCA All-Academic Individuals for their accomplishments both in the classroom and in competition.
"Academic performance is a critical part of our overall team goals," BGSU Head Coach Lou Snelling said. "It is important for us to graduate highly successful student-athletes who will be highly successful in whatever profession they choose. To that end, we strive to have the highest team GPA in the conference to have as many athletes as possible named All-Academic. I am proud of these young adults for having one of our highest team GPA's in a number of years. Combined with our fall academic achievements, we are the highest academically-performing team in the conference."
BGSU was one of nine Mid-American Conference women's track and field programs honored and the Falcons' 3.41 cumulative GPA ranked second among all conference schools. Teams must have a 3.00 grade point average to be recognized as All-Academic and 224 NCAA Division I teams merited that honor this year.
In the fall, both the men's and women's cross country teams were recognized by the USTFCCCA as All-Academic Teams after recording 3.47 and 3.67 grade point averages, respectively. The women's team had the top GPA in the MAC and was ranked 20th nationally. The men's team was second in the conference.
The USTFCCCA also announced the 838 women who were recognized as individual All-Academic honorees this year. In order to be named, a student-athlete must have a 3.25 cumulative grade point average and be ranked among the top 48 in the country in an event or compete at an NCAA meet (either regionals or nationals).
Gustafson, a redshirt freshman exercise science major, posted a top 48 performance in the shot put during the indoor campaign, but a season-ending injury kept her from competing in the postseason or during the outdoor year. She threw the shot put 49-feet-4.5 at the Simmons-Harvey Invitational to move into fifth place in school history in the event.
Pleger, who graduated in May with a nursing degree, qualified athletically both in the weight throw during the indoor season and in the hammer throw in outdoor. She was among the top 25 in the country in the weight throw and then placed third at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in the hammer throw. She ranks first all-time at BGSU in both events.
Wheat, a sophomore graphic design major, broke the school record in the shot put during the indoor season and qualified for the NCAA East Region preliminary meet in the same event in outdoor. She threw as far as 52-1 during indoor and then 51-2.25 at the MAC Championships in the outdoor season. She finished 19th at NCAA regionals in the shot put.
"Academic performance is a critical part of our overall team goals," BGSU Head Coach Lou Snelling said. "It is important for us to graduate highly successful student-athletes who will be highly successful in whatever profession they choose. To that end, we strive to have the highest team GPA in the conference to have as many athletes as possible named All-Academic. I am proud of these young adults for having one of our highest team GPA's in a number of years. Combined with our fall academic achievements, we are the highest academically-performing team in the conference."
BGSU was one of nine Mid-American Conference women's track and field programs honored and the Falcons' 3.41 cumulative GPA ranked second among all conference schools. Teams must have a 3.00 grade point average to be recognized as All-Academic and 224 NCAA Division I teams merited that honor this year.
In the fall, both the men's and women's cross country teams were recognized by the USTFCCCA as All-Academic Teams after recording 3.47 and 3.67 grade point averages, respectively. The women's team had the top GPA in the MAC and was ranked 20th nationally. The men's team was second in the conference.
The USTFCCCA also announced the 838 women who were recognized as individual All-Academic honorees this year. In order to be named, a student-athlete must have a 3.25 cumulative grade point average and be ranked among the top 48 in the country in an event or compete at an NCAA meet (either regionals or nationals).
Gustafson, a redshirt freshman exercise science major, posted a top 48 performance in the shot put during the indoor campaign, but a season-ending injury kept her from competing in the postseason or during the outdoor year. She threw the shot put 49-feet-4.5 at the Simmons-Harvey Invitational to move into fifth place in school history in the event.
Pleger, who graduated in May with a nursing degree, qualified athletically both in the weight throw during the indoor season and in the hammer throw in outdoor. She was among the top 25 in the country in the weight throw and then placed third at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in the hammer throw. She ranks first all-time at BGSU in both events.
Wheat, a sophomore graphic design major, broke the school record in the shot put during the indoor season and qualified for the NCAA East Region preliminary meet in the same event in outdoor. She threw as far as 52-1 during indoor and then 51-2.25 at the MAC Championships in the outdoor season. She finished 19th at NCAA regionals in the shot put.
Players Mentioned
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