Photo by: Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos
Air Force Claims Four USTFCCCA Academic Awards
2/14/2019 12:04:00 PM | Cross Country
Jaci Smith, Nathan Thomas and both Air Force teams earn national academic recognition.
NEW ORLEANS – Air Force seniors Jaci Smith and Nathan Thomas, as well as both the men's and women's cross country squads, earned All-Academic honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association this afternoon (Feb. 14). It is the first time since 2006 that the Falcons have earned academic distinction in all four categories (men/women, individual/team).
In order to qualify for individual academic citation, athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 and finish within the top 25 of the regional meet or earn All-America honors at the NCAA Championships.
Smith captured USTFCCCA academic distinction for the third-straight year after claiming All-America honors at the national meet and finishing the semester with a 3.43 GPA in astronautical engineering. Smith, who placed fourth at the Mountain Regional and 27th at the NCAA Championships, is the program's only Division I athlete to garner multiple academic cross country honors from the USTFCCCA.
Thomas claimed the first USTFCCCA All-Academic award of his career after finishing 19th at the Mountain Regional and holding a 3.31 GPA in civil engineering through the fall semester.
To qualify as an All-Academic Cross Country Team, the program must've had a combined team GPA of 3.00 or better. The men earned their first USTFCCCA award since 2008 (seventh overall) with a 3.24 GPA and the women collected their eighth distinction with a combined GPA of 3.19.
In order to qualify for individual academic citation, athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 and finish within the top 25 of the regional meet or earn All-America honors at the NCAA Championships.
Smith captured USTFCCCA academic distinction for the third-straight year after claiming All-America honors at the national meet and finishing the semester with a 3.43 GPA in astronautical engineering. Smith, who placed fourth at the Mountain Regional and 27th at the NCAA Championships, is the program's only Division I athlete to garner multiple academic cross country honors from the USTFCCCA.
Thomas claimed the first USTFCCCA All-Academic award of his career after finishing 19th at the Mountain Regional and holding a 3.31 GPA in civil engineering through the fall semester.
To qualify as an All-Academic Cross Country Team, the program must've had a combined team GPA of 3.00 or better. The men earned their first USTFCCCA award since 2008 (seventh overall) with a 3.24 GPA and the women collected their eighth distinction with a combined GPA of 3.19.
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