By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- The men's and women's track and field teams from Willamette University have received All-Academic Team honors for the 2018 season as awarded by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Willamette's teams have consistently qualified for these awards under Head Coach Matt McGuirk.
The USTFCCCA honored 185 women's track and field teams and 106 men's track and field teams in NCAA Division III for their academic success. Each All-Academic team registered at least a 3.1 cumulative team grade point average on a 4.0 scale.
The Willamette women's team earned All-Academic recognition with a 3.34 cumulative GPA. The Bearcat men's team recorded a 3.18 cumulative GPA. A total of five men's teams in the Northwest Conference and all eight women's teams from the NWC qualified for the award.
Knox College (Pa.) topped the list of All-Academic Division III women's teams with a 3.80 cumulative GPA. Massachusetts Institute of Technology led the Division III men's teams with a 3.63 cumulative GPA.
North Central College (Ill.) was selected as the Men's Outdoor Track and Field Scholar Team of the Year. The Cardinals took second place at the NCAA Championships and missed tying for the national title by one point. North Central recorded a 3.10 cumulative GPA. The Women's Outdoor Track and Field Scholar Team of the Year was George Fox University, which tied for the NCAA women's championship and earned a 3.43 cumulative GPA.
Scholar Team of the Year honors go to the men's team and the women's team placing the highest at the most recent NCAA Championships while also earning All-Academic status.
Willamette track and field was represented at the 2018 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships by Hannah Swanson (Sr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) and Hope Duenas (So., Covina, CA/Covina HS) . Swanson advanced to the final in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase and placed 13th in the nation. Duenas placed 20th in the country in the women's discus throw.
NOTE: Academic year listed for Swanson and Duenas is for the 2018 season.