WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue track & field program has been recognized with several individual and team academic awards, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Thursday.
Fourteen Boilermakers were named All-Academic Athletes, while both the men's and women's teams earned All-Academic Team honors. The awards recognize teams and student-athletes for their success in competition and in the classroom during the 2020-21 indoor and outdoor track & field season.
The 14 individual honors and 10 women's accolades are both Purdue's most since at least 2003-04. The women earned the team award for the ninth consecutive year, and the men are recognized for the third year in a row after they received the distinction a total of three times in the nine years before the current streak began.
Seniors Rebecca Coan (Health Science PreProfessional), Curt Eckstein (Mechanical Engineering) and Samara Miller (Strategic Communication Management) were recognized for the fourth time in their careers. Seniors Tessa Sheets (Animal Science) and Brody Smith (Sociology) earned their third accolade, while junior Jessica Bray (Health Science PreProfessional) and sophomores Kerris Roberts (Mathematics Education) and Johnny Vanos (Kinesiology) collected the distinction for the second time. First-time honorees are seniors Malcolm Dotson (Public Health) and Megan Slamkowski (Kinesiology/Psychological Sciences), junior Kaia Harris (Marketing), sophomores Jayla Ellis (Chemical Engineering) and Emma Tate (Kinesiology) and freshman Naomi Campbell (Pre Management / Accounting).
As a team, the women's squad was honored with a 3.42 cumulate grade-point average and the men were honored with a 3.17 GPA.
To be eligible for the individual award, student-athletes must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 and have completed at least two semesters at the nominating institution. Additionally, they must have finished the 2021 indoor season ranked in the top 96 in any championship individual event, or in the top 48 in any championship relay event, or, outdoors, participated in any round of the 2021 NCAA Division I Championships or finish the season ranked in the top 48 in the east or west in the decathlon or heptathlon. Teams must have a cumulative GPA for all student-athletes of 3.0 or higher to be eligible for the team award.
Additionally, earlier in the year, Purdue's men's and women's cross country team and four cross country runners were honored. The Boilermakers' individual honorees were Eckstein, Smith, junior Blake Selm and sophomore Andrew Brandt.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Fourteen Boilermakers were named All-Academic Athletes, while both the men's and women's teams earned All-Academic Team honors. The awards recognize teams and student-athletes for their success in competition and in the classroom during the 2020-21 indoor and outdoor track & field season.
The 14 individual honors and 10 women's accolades are both Purdue's most since at least 2003-04. The women earned the team award for the ninth consecutive year, and the men are recognized for the third year in a row after they received the distinction a total of three times in the nine years before the current streak began.
Seniors Rebecca Coan (Health Science PreProfessional), Curt Eckstein (Mechanical Engineering) and Samara Miller (Strategic Communication Management) were recognized for the fourth time in their careers. Seniors Tessa Sheets (Animal Science) and Brody Smith (Sociology) earned their third accolade, while junior Jessica Bray (Health Science PreProfessional) and sophomores Kerris Roberts (Mathematics Education) and Johnny Vanos (Kinesiology) collected the distinction for the second time. First-time honorees are seniors Malcolm Dotson (Public Health) and Megan Slamkowski (Kinesiology/Psychological Sciences), junior Kaia Harris (Marketing), sophomores Jayla Ellis (Chemical Engineering) and Emma Tate (Kinesiology) and freshman Naomi Campbell (Pre Management / Accounting).
As a team, the women's squad was honored with a 3.42 cumulate grade-point average and the men were honored with a 3.17 GPA.
To be eligible for the individual award, student-athletes must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 and have completed at least two semesters at the nominating institution. Additionally, they must have finished the 2021 indoor season ranked in the top 96 in any championship individual event, or in the top 48 in any championship relay event, or, outdoors, participated in any round of the 2021 NCAA Division I Championships or finish the season ranked in the top 48 in the east or west in the decathlon or heptathlon. Teams must have a cumulative GPA for all student-athletes of 3.0 or higher to be eligible for the team award.
Additionally, earlier in the year, Purdue's men's and women's cross country team and four cross country runners were honored. The Boilermakers' individual honorees were Eckstein, Smith, junior Blake Selm and sophomore Andrew Brandt.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.