Wednesday, May 17, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. – Simon Fraser hurdler Ben Conrad, one of four conference performers with a grade point average of 4.00 or greater, leads 78 selections to the 2016-17 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Men’s Track & Field All-Academic Team.

Conrad, a junior, has a 4.07 GPA as a computing science major in the Canadian system which awards a 4.33 GPA for an A-plus. The Bridgewater, N.S., native competed at the GNAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the 400-meter hurdles.

Three athletes from the GNAC’s U.S. schools are on the team with a 4.00 GPA: Northwest Nazarene junior Isaac Mitchell, Saint Martin’s senior Vincent Fualefau and Western Oregon sophomore Tyler Jones. The quartet is among eight athletes on the team with GPAs of 3.80 or higher.

Of the 78 honorees, 35 are repeat selections. The list includes a pair of four-time selections (made possible by varying eligibilities in both the indoor and outdoor seasons) in Central Washington senior Kaleb Javier and Saint Martin’s senior Josiah Shelman.

Among the three-time honorees are Alaska Anchorage seniors Tevin Gladden and Michael Mendenhall; Central Washington senior Darren Arndt, Saint Martin’s senior Jasper Heckman, Simon Fraser senior Daniel Kelloway and Western Washington seniors Jacob Hino, Gordie Kordas, Mark Seely and Andrew Wise.

Central Washington and Western Washington led the 10 GNAC schools sponsoring track and field with 13 selections. Saint Martin's had 12 selections to the team.

To qualify for the GNAC All-Academic Teams, a student-athlete must have a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher, be of sophomore standing or better and be in their second season competing at the nominating institution.