By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University men's and women's track and field teams have earned All-Academic honors for the 2017 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 183 women's track and field teams and 111 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.

On the way to claiming All-Academic status, the Bearcat women's team attained a 3.485 cumulative GPA. The Willamette men's team recorded a 3.191 cumulative GPA. Five men's teams in the Northwest Conference and all eight women's teams from the NWC qualified for the award.

St. Vincent College (Pa.) topped the list of All-Academic Division III women's teams with a 3.727 cumulative GPA. California Institute of Technology and Middlebury College (Vt.) tied for the lead among men's teams with a 3.62 cumulative GPA.

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater was selected as the Men's Outdoor Track and Field Scholar Team of the Year. The Warhawks took second place at the NCAA Championships and recorded a 3.15 cumulative GPA. The Women's Outdoor Track and Field Scholar Team of the Year was Washington University (Mo.), which won the NCAA women's championship and earned a 3.55 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 by Jewell Sparks (Jr., San Francisco, CA/Lick Wilmerding HS) at the 2017 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Sparks competed in the women's 400-meter hurdles and placed 19th in the nation.