Thursday, July 15, 2021

AUSTIN, Texas – After making the most of a 2020-21 season riddled by COVID pandemic changes, Western Oregon senior Justin Crosswhite and Northwest Nazarene junior Tyler Shea have been named to the College Sports Information Directors of America’s (CoSIDA) Academic All-District 8 Men’s Track and Field/Cross Country Team.

The two are among 10 student-athletes named to the district team, which includes selections from the GNAC, California Collegiate Athletic Association and PacWest Conference.

This is the second straight Academic All-District selection for Crosswhite, who has a 4.00 GPA as a student in Western Oregon’s master’s of organizational leadership program, finished out his Wolves’ career strong. He finished second in the 1,500 meters at the GNAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, earning all-conference honors, and placed seventh in 800 meters. Crosswhite ran a season-best 1:51.97 in the 800 meters at the Oregon Relays on April 23 and a best of 3:50.61 in the 1,500 meters at the OSU High Performance Meet on April 30.

Crosswhite was named the GNAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week on March 15 after he opened the year with a win in the 1,500 meters at the OSU PNW Team Clash on March 13, winning by four seconds with a time of 3:54.82.

Shea, who has a 3.93 GPA as a mathematics major, earned all-conference honors at the GNAC Outdoor Championships in both the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters. He placed second in the 10,000 meters in a time of 31:16.05 and was third in the 5,000 meters in 14:48.05, both of which were season bests. Shea finished the year ranked third in the GNAC in both events.

Shea was also one of a handful of GNAC athletes that were able to participate in the abbreviated 2020-21 cross country season. He was named the GNAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week on February 8 after he won the College of Idaho Ice Chipper meet in a time of 19:26.46 for 6,000 meters.

Nominees for the CoSIDA Academic All-America program must be of sophomore eligibility or greater, must be in their second year at the nominating institution, must be a starter or important reserve for their team and must have a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or greater.

With their selections to the Academic All-District Team, Crosswhite and Shea are now eligible for selection to the Division II Academic All-America Track and Field/Cross Country Team, which will be announced on August 11.