The Wilmington College cross country teams received honors from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Thursday.
“At the start of each season when we talk about goals for the year, making All-Academic as a team and having individuals make the All-Academic team is something we always shoot for,” WC coach Ron Combs said. “Success as an athlete often mirrors success in the classroom. Both teams did an outstanding job, and it was great to have four individuals make it because you have to run well at the Regional meet and do well in the classroom.”
The WC men’s team was one of 137 teams to garner All-Academic team honors while Simon Heys, George Rickett and Noah Tobin earned All-Academic status.
As a team, the Fightin’ Quakers finished the fall semester with a 3.54 cumulative grade-point average and finished fourth at the Ohio Athletic Conference Championships, a meet hosted on the WC campus. Heys (first team) and Tobin (second team) were honored as All-OAC while George Rickett was named OAC Scholar Athlete of the Month during the fall. Heys went on to become the program’s first NCAA Division III All-America runner with a fifth-place finish at the national championship race in Louisville.
For the women, the team was one of 163 teams to garner All-Academic Team honors while Milena Wahl earned All-Academic status.
As a team, the Fightin’ Quakers finished the fall semester with a 3.55 cumulative grade-point average and finished seventh at the Ohio Athletic Conference Championship. Wahl earned second team All-Ohio honors in the race.
In order to qualify for All-Academic distinction, teams must have a cumulative GPA of 3.1 on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period, among other qualifiers. In order to qualify for All-Academic distinction, student athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.30 on a 4.0 scale and finish in the top-25 percent of their respective regional championship meet.
