Green, Vogel Pickup Men’s Scholar Athlete of the Year Honors in Division II

NEW ORLEANS – Leford Green of Johnson C. Smith and Brent Vogel of Central Missouri were named on Thursday as Scholar Athletes of the Year in Division II for the 2011 track & field seasons by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The group represents collegiate track & field’s best in both athletics and academics. In addition, 162 were tapped as USTFCCCA All-Academic honorees.

Scholar Athlete of the Year Awards are determined from among those who earned All-Academic status and placed highest in individual events at the most recent NCAA Championships. Those who earn multiple individual championship titles rank higher in the tie-breaking process, and cumulative GPA is weighed as the final tiebreaker to establish a winner. Separate awards are given to track athletes and field athletes for the indoor and outdoor seasons, resulting in four categories.

Indoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year / Outdoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year –
Leford Green, Johnson C. Smith

Green, a senior from St. Catherine, Jamaica, swept indoor and outdoor NCAA Division II titles in the 400-meter dash in 2011. A information sciences major with a 3.80 cumulative GPA, Green also swept USTFCCCA National Track Athlete of the Year honors during the year, winning both indoor and outdoor awards.

Indoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year / Outdoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year –
Brent Vogel, Central Missouri

Vogel, a junior from Jefferson City, Mo., was the NCAA Division II decathlon champion in 2011 and nation’s runner-up indoors in the heptathlon. Vogel is a biology major with a 3.76 cumulative GPA.

Past Scholar Athlete of the Year Award Winners

Indoor Track & Field (track athlete)
2011: Leford Green, Johnson C. Smith
2010: Aaron Braun, Adams State
2009: Aaron Braun, Adams State
2008: Chris Cummings, Mansfield

Indoor Track & Field (field athlete)
2011: Brent Vogel, Central Missouri
2010: Christopher Copeland, Saint Augustine’s
2009: Matthew Gersick, Adams State
2008: Matthew Gersick, Adams State

Indoor Track & Field (single award)
2007: Kim Hogarth, Western State

Outdoor Track & Field (track athlete)
2011: Leford Green, Johnson C. Smith
2010: Mark Husted, Colorado Mines
2009: Joshua Streeter, Adams State
2008: Aaron Braun, Adams State

Outdoor Track & Field (field athlete)
2011: Brent Vogel, Central Missouri
2010: Mike Beeler, Pittsburg State
2009: Camille Vandendriessche, Abilene Christian
2008: Camille Vandendriessche, Abilene Christian

Outdoor Track & Field (single award)
2007: Aaron Braun, Adams State

162 Earn All-Academic Status

In addition to the Scholar Athletes of the Year, the USTFCCCA also announced the men’s 2011 Division II All-Academic Track & Field team. A total of 162 student-athletes representing 63 institutions compose the group.

Grand Valley State led the nation’s teams with eight named to the All-Academic team. Western State followed with seven while Adams State and Ashland claimed six apiece.

The GLIAC has the most listed for any conference in the nation with 30. The RMAC (26) and PSAC (22) claim the second- and third-place spots.

National champions Luke Cragg (Adams State) and Daniel Vanek (Grand Valley State) joined Green and Vogel on the All-Academic list.

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 an NCAA automatic or provisional qualifying mark in an individual or relay event at some point in either indoor or outdoor seasons.

The women’s All-Academic individual honorees will be named tomorrow. Those institutions given All-Academic Team status will be named on Tuesday, August 9 (women) and Thursday, August 11 (men).

USTFCCCA 2011 Division II Track & Field All-Academic Honorees, MEN