Lewis, Whiting named Academic All-Americans
Jason Lewis and Ryan Whiting, members of the Arizona State University track & field program, have been selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced today. The selection for the throwing duo is historic for the Sun Devil program as they are the first two men to earn placement on the first team.
Whiting, a native of Harrisburg, Pa., earned Academic All-America for the third year in a row as he maintained a 3.42 grade-point average in civil engineering throughout a career that saw him capture six individual national titles, including three this season. Whiting was selected to the second team each of the past two years before moving up to the first team in 2010 and was selected ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VIII First Team three years in a row.
Similarly to Whiting, Lewis, a native of Phoenix, also was selected to the district’s first team each of the past two seasons and was selected for second team honors on the national level last year before climbing to first team in 2010. Lewis is a one-time national champion (2009 indoor weight throw) and a nine-time All-American in the field, including being one of only two throwers this year (and the only man) to earn All-America honors in all five weight events, which include the indoor shot put and weight throw and the outdoor shot put, discus and hammer. Lewis graduated with a 3.90 GPA in history and has been working toward a graduate degree this season.
Both men recently were selected as Academic All-Pac-10 selections with Lewis earning first-team accolades and Whiting taking a place on the second team. Whiting was later selected as the 2010 Pac-10 Scholar-Athlete of the Year, presented by Toyo Tires, for men’s track & field. The duo also has been honored academically by the U.S. Track & Field, Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in the past the USTFCCCA Men’s Division I Indoor Scholar-Athlete of the Year with Whiting earning the honor in 2008 and Lewis in 2009.
With three career Academic All-America selections for Whiting and two for Lewis, they bring the men’s all-time program total to six as only Garrett Jensen (2001, cross country) had been honored before 2008. Their first-team honors are not only the first and second for the men’s program, but are the fifth and sixth for the program as a whole with the women earning four prior. Whiting’s three honors is the most for an ASU man in track & field/cross country and the second-most all-time as Lisa Aguilera earned four total. While the duo made it two years in a row with two men’s honorees, they also combined to make ASU one of just two schools -- Rice being the other -- to have multiple selections to the first team this year.
Lewis and Whiting are among 20 athletes with ties to the Sun Devil program that are currently in Des Moines, Iowa, for the 2010 USA Track & Field Championships that will take place today through Sunday.
ASU’s All-Time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Selections
Men
2010 - Jason Lewis - First Team (TF/XC) & Ryan Whiting - First Team (TF/XC)
2009 - Jason Lewis - Second Team (TF/XC) & Ryan Whiting - Second Team (TF/XC)
2008 - Ryan Whiting - Second Team (TF/XC)
2001 - Garrett Jensen - Second Team (XC)
Women
2009 - Sarah Stevens - First Team (TF/XC)
2008 - April Kubishta - First Team (TF/XC) & Sarah Stevens - Second Team (TF/XC)
2005 - Jennifer Kowacz - Second Team (TF/XC)
2003 - Lisa Aguilera - Second Team (TF/XC)
2002 - Lisa Aguilera - Second Team (TF/XC)
2001 - Lisa Aguilera - First Team (XC) & Lisa Aguilera - Third Team (TF)
1990 - Gea Johnson - First Team (TF)