March 8, 2010

NEW ORLEANS - For the fourth straight year, the Miami University men's cross country team has been named an All-Academic Team (for the 2009 season) by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, the organization announced Monday, March 8. The RedHawks have now garnered the distinction for the 14th time in the 16 years the honor has been bestowed (since 1994), all under head coach Warren Mandrell.

Miami compiled a cumulative team grade-point average of 3.41, which tied for the 28th-best team GPA nationally among the 135 Division I teams honored. The RedHawks were also one of just four Mid-American Conference schools recognized and had by far the highest GPA among the quartet, as Ohio (3.14 GPA), Central Michigan (3.12 GPA) and Kent State (3.09 GPA) were the other three universities from the MAC to achieve the honor. The 3.41 GPA was also a vast improvement from the team's 2008 cumulative GPA of 3.16.

Eleven of the 16 members on the 2009 cross country team carry cumulative GPA's of 3.0 or higher, including six with a GPA above 3.50. Seniors Kevin Silver (Beachwood, Ohio) and Paul Krebs (Kettering, Ohio) and redshirt freshman David Eichenberger (Plainfield, Ind.) were all named Academic All-MAC for the 2009 season, as well.

Miami also had success on the course, as the RedHawks finished fourth at the 2009 MAC Championships while junior Michael Perry (Cincinnati, Ohio) was named Second-Team All-MAC, and the team won the Loyola Lakefront Invitational on Oct. 3.

To earn All-Academic Team status, a team must have competed at an NCAA Regional Championship and earned a minimum team cumulative GPA of 3.00.

Miami's women's cross country team was also named an All-Academic Team for 2009.