Track and field garner top honors from USTFCCCA
The U.S. Track & Field, Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) recently announced its annual academic honorees with the Arizona State University track and field team earning several honors, including Ryan Whiting, who was named the 2010 USTFCCCA Men’s Division I Indoor and Outdoor Field Scholar of the Year. In all, 13 individuals (five women and eight men) were honored for their academic achievement while both Sun Devil teams also met the standard to be recognized, including the men, who earned the 2010 USTFCCCA Men’s Division I Outdoor Scholar Team of the Year award.
Whiting, one of three finalists for The Bowerman Award as the top collegiate male track & field athlete, recently capped his collegiate career as a six-time NCAA champion with titles in the indoor shot put (third in a row), outdoor shot put (second in a row) and the discus (first). The USTFCCCA Men’s Division I Co-National Field Athlete of the Year and Track & Field News’ Male Athlete of the Year, Whiting also was named an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team selection and the Pac-10 Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men’s track & field.
His recognition this year by the USTFCCCA as the top scholar-athlete in the field events both indoor and outdoor mark the second and third honors from the Association, respectively after he also was named the 2008 USTFCCCA Men’s Division I Indoor Field Scholar of the Year. While Whiting’s individual honor was his third, it also marked the fourth all-time for the men (Jason Lewis, 2009 indoor field) and the seventh overall for ASU (Sarah Stevens won 2007 indoor field and 2008 outdoor field and Victoria Jackson won 2006 outdoor track).
Whiting was one of eight Sun Devil men to earn 2010 USTFCCCA All-Academic recognition for maintaining a 3.20 GPA or better this season while also either qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Championships or the NCAA Outdoor Championships. He was joined on the list by Brandon Bethke, John Kline, Justin Kremer, Jason Lewis, Daniel Lovell, Michael Stokes and Lawrence Trice. The women placed five on the academic team, including Constance Ezugha, Samantha Henderson, Ali Kielty, Cj Navarro and Angela Spadafino.
As a team, the Sun Devil men were selected the 2010 USTFCCCA Men’s Division I Outdoor Scholar Team of the Year, earning the top team distinction for the first time in program history. Their 3.15 combined grade-point average was the best among outdoor teams and also made them one of 73 men’s teams from around the nation to carry a 3.00 GPA or better during the year. The women’s team also earned distinction from the USTFCCCA as it’s 3.30 GPA made them one of 151 institutions that maintained a 3.00 GPA or better during the season.
Historically, the men’s honor give ASU six scholar team of the year honors after the women won five in the past three years. The Sun Devil women earned the indoor and outdoor team honor in 2007 and 2008 for four total awards before also taking the top honor after the 2009 outdoor season.
2010 USTFCCCA All-Academic Individual Honors
Men’s Division I Indoor & Outdoor Field Scholar of the Year: Ryan Whiting
Men’s selections: Brandon Bethke, John Kline, Justin Kremer, Jason Lewis, Daniel Lovell, Michael Stokes, Lawrence Trice, Ryan Whiting
Women’s selections: Constance Ezugha, Samantha Henderson, Ali Kielty, Cj Navarro, Angela Spadafino
2010 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team Honors
Division I Outdoor Scholar Team of the Year: Arizona State men
Division I All-Academic selections: Arizona State men, Arizona State women