All-Academic Individuals & Scholar Athletes of the Year – 2018 NAIA Women’s Track & Field

NEW ORLEANS – Anna Shields of Point Park (Pa.), Samantha Liermann of Concordia (Neb.) and Adrianna Shaw of Concordia (Neb.) were named the Women’s Scholar Athletes of the Year in NAIA Track & Field on Thursday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Combining their accomplishments in the classroom and in competition during the recently completed academic year, these four women were the most exceptional among a group of 126 women who earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors.

Scholar Athletes of the Year were selected as the highest finishing performers at the 2018 NAIA Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships who achieved All-Academic status. Those athletes who won individual NCAA titles ranked higher in the tie-breaking process and cumulative GPA is weighed as the final advantage.

Separate awards are given to track athletes and field athletes for the indoor and outdoor seasons, hence the four categories.

Shields, a junior who majors in English with a GPA of 3.72, was named the Women’s Indoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year and the Women’s Outdoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year. The native of Torrington, Connecticut, starred during the NAIA Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Shields captured individual titles in the 1000 and mile during the indoor meet and won the 800 and 1500 outdoors.

Liermann, a graduated senior who majored in Recreation and Sports Studies with a GPA of 3.99, was named the Women’s Indoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year. The native of Wisner, Nebraska, won the indoor shot put crown with a heave of 15.06m (49-5).

Shaw, a sophomore who majors in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) with a GPA of 3.42, was named the Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year. The native of Bassett, Nebraska, won the discus title with a heave of 47.04m (154-4).

All-Academic Individuals

Including the Scholar Athletes of the Year, a total of 126 men earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors during the 2017-18 track & field seasons.

To qualify for USTFCCCA All-Academic honors, the student-athlete must meet all three of the following standards:

1. Cumulative GPA: 3.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period, certifiable by either Faculty Rep or Compliance Coordinator or Registrar’s Office.

1. Institutions utilizing a different GPA scale must convert the GPA to a 4.0 scale using the standard conversion method [GPA/Scale x 4.0].

2. Athletic criteria for the award can be met in either the indoor season, the outdoor season, or both:

1. For the indoor season: must have achieved an “A” or “B” standard in a Championship event, certifiable by their place on the NAIA descending order lists on TFRRS for Indoor Track and Field.

2. For the outdoor season: must have achieved an “A” or “B” standard in a Championship event, certifiable by their place on the NAIA descending order lists on TFRRS for Outdoor Track and Field.

3. Must have completed at least two (2) semesters or three (3) quarters at the certifying institution.