Friday, February 9, 2018

NEW ORLEANS – Not only is Caroline Kurgat fast, she is also smart.

The Division II women’s cross country national champion and Alaska Anchorage senior has been selected by the U.S. Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as its Division II Cross Country Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She leads a total of 22 GNAC USTFCCCA Division II All-Academic selections.

Kurgat, who is majoring in medical laboratory science and nursing, had nearly no challengers as she ran through the championship portion of the cross country season. She defended her GNAC championship with a 56-second victory on Oct. 21, covering a wet and muddy Lake Padden course in 20:49.42. Two weeks later, in Monmouth, Oregon, Kurgat surged to the front and never let go of the lead as she turned in a 38-second win at the NCAA West Regional meet with a time of 20:26.1.

At the Nov. 18 NCAA Championships in Evansville, Indiana, Kurgat took the lead for good at 3,000 meters and never looked back. She eventually extended her margin to 20 seconds as she claimed the national title with a time of 20:32.3.

In addition to the academic honor, Kurgat was selected by the USTFCCCA as both its Division II National and West Region Female Athlete of the Year. She was also selected as the women’s cross country nominee for the Honda Division II Athlete of the Year.

Kurgat is the second Alaska Anchorage athlete to be named as a national Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Micah Chelimo won the men’s honor from the USTFCCCA in 2012. Kurgat is also the second GNAC female athlete to win the award, joining Seattle Pacific’s Jessica Pixler (2007, 2008 & 2009).

Kurgat joined five UAA women’s teammates and 13 GNAC women in earning USTFCCCA All-Academic awards. The honors recognize athletes who have compiled a minimum 3.25 cumulative grade point average and finished among the top-30 of eligible runners at his or her regional championships and/or the top half of the field at the NCAA Championships. Nine GNAC men’s athletes also earned All-Academic distinction, led by Western Oregon senior All-American David Ribich.

Additionally, six GNAC men’s teams and seven women’s squads were selected for USTFCCCA All-Academic Team awards. Those awards are reserved for teams with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher and must have scored at an NCAA Division II regional meet.

USTFCCCA DIVISION II ALL-ACADEMIC SELECTIONS
Men’s Individuals
Alaska Anchorage: Edwin Kangogo
Montana State Billings: Jorey Egeland
Northwest Nazarene: Nick Hamilton, Isaac Mitchell
Western Oregon: Justin Crosswhite, Tyler Jones, Dustin Nading, David Ribich
Western Washington: Andrew Wise

Women’s Individuals
Alaska Anchorage: Mariah Burroughs, Kimberly Cosica, Zennah Jepchumba, Caroline Kurgat, Danielle McCormick, Tamara Perez
Central Washington: Alexa Shindruk
Seattle Pacific: Mary Charleson, Katherine Walter
Western Oregon: Kennedy Rufener
Western Washington: Maddy Hutchison, Alexandra Laiblin, Tracy Melvlle

Men’s All-Academic Teams: Alaska Anchorage, Central Washington, Concordia, Montana State Billings, Northwest Nazarene, Western Oregon
Women’s All-Academic Teams: Alaska Anchorage, Central Washington, Concordia, Montana State Billings, Northwest Nazarene, Seattle Pacific, Western Oregon