South Carolina’s Richardson, Auburn’s Martin, and Arizona State’s Whiting Top USTFCCCA Division I Men’s All-Academic Track and Field Teams

NEW ORLEANS – Staying at the top of the game in any sport is a difficult task, and collegiate student-athletes have the additional challenge of competing for top marks in the classroom. At the conclusion of the 2008 indoor and outdoor track and field season, three Division I student-athletes clearly showed that they have what it takes to stay at the top of their game academically and athletically. Jason Richardson of South Carolina, Auburn’s Cory Martin, and Ryan Whiting of Arizona State led the way as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced on Wednesday the 2008 Men’s Division I Indoor and Outdoor Scholar Athletes of the Year.

Richardson, a senior from Cedar Hill, Tx., earned the 2008 Division I Outdoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year award after a stellar outdoor campaign. Richardson’s senior year was highlighted by a national title in the 110-meter hurdles, the perfect end to a perfect season in which he was undefeated in collegiate competition over the sprint hurdles. Earlier this summer, he competed in the 110-meter hurdles at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Ore.

Richardson also earns the Division I Indoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year award after finishing second in the 60-meter hurdles at the 2008 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships. Richardson finished only 0.003 out of first place, setting a new personal best and moving to number two all-time in Gamecock history. As a sports management major at South Carolina, Richardson compiled a 3.464 cumulative GPA.

“It’s an extreme honor,” said Richardson. “To be in the same category as (former Gamecock and 2006 Women’s Indoor Scholar Athlete of the Year) Shalonda Solomon is great company to be in. I’m proud to be another representative for the University of South Carolina.”

After an outdoor season that culminated in two individual national championships in the throwing at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Cory Martin of Auburn has been named the 2008 Division I Outdoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year. Martin won both the shot put and the hammer throw at the outdoor meet, leading the Tigers to a tie for second place in the overall team standings. He is only the second athlete in NCAA Division I history to win the men’s shot put and the hammer throw at an outdoor championship. The senior education major has a 3.33 cumulative GPA.

“This is a great honor both for Cory and for our university,” said Auburn head coach Ralph Spry. “It demonstrates the emphasis we place on both academics and athletics, and Cory is a testament to that. His success both academically and athletically is a result of his hard work and dedication to both areas.”

Ryan Whiting of Arizona State is the 2008 Indoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year award after winning the shot put at the 2008 Indoor Championships and breaking the collegiate record in the event in the process. Whiting’s win helped propel the Sun Devils to the 2008 NCAA Men’s Indoor Track and Field team title. A civil engineering major at Arizona State, Whiting has earned a 3.49 cumulative GPA in his first two years.

“Ryan is an outstanding student-athlete,” said Arizona State head coach Greg Kraft. “Ryan’s approach to his academic rigors is the same as his approach to his athletic rigors.”

DIVISION I ALL-ACADEMIC TRACK AND FIELD TEAM

In addition to the Scholar Athletes of the Year, the USTFCCCA also announced the men’s 2008 Division I All-Academic Track and Field team. A record total of 269 student-athletes representing 113 Division I institutions made up the men’s 2008 All-Academic team.

The University of Nebraska led all institutions with nine student-athletes on the All-Academic team, followed closely by Oregon and Stanford, each with eight student-athletes on the team. Kansas State and UCLA each placed six student-athletes on the team.

The USTFCCCA honors Division I individuals for their academic and athletic achievements during the indoor and outdoor track and field seasons.

To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and have met either the NCAA Division I Indoor automatic or provisional qualifying standard or the NCAA Division I Outdoor regional or national qualifying standard in their respective event.

The 2008 USTFCCCA Division I Men’s All-Academic Track and Field Team