Men's Cross Country Named 2007 D-1 All-Academic Team of the Year

New Orleans, LA - For the second straight year, the Iona College men's cross country team was named the NCAA Division I All-Academic Men’s Cross Country Team of the Year for their performance on and off the trails. The Gaels were the national runner up this season, finishing second at the 2007 NCAA Division I Men’s Cross Country Championships. The announcements were made by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

"This is the second straight year we have earned this honor and it is a testament to the outstanding job that our kids do not only on the course but also in the classroom," said head coach Mick Byrne. "We are extremely proud of them for their hard work as both a student and an athlete."

Individually, junior Andrew Ledwith was named one of 57 individual student-athletes to the 2007 USTFCCCA All-Academic team. Ledwith maintains a 3.42 GPA in Finance. He finished fifth overall at the Northeast Regional Championship and 31st at the NCAA Championship. The award honors those student-athletes who have succeeded both academically and athletically. To be eligible for the award a student-athlete must carry a minimum 3.25 cumulative grade point average and have completed a minimum 24 semester hours through the 2007 fall term. Additionally, the student-athlete must finish in the top 15 or top ten percent at their respective NCAA regional meet, or receive All-American honors.

In the classroom, Iona maintained a cumulative team grade point average of 3.000. Their success in both venues earns them the honor of 2007 NCAA Division I All-Academic Men’s Cross Country Team of the Year.

The Gaels finished second at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships this past November to team champion Oregon. The Ducks scored 85 points to Iona’s 113. The Gaels won the Northeast Regional and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference titles prior to their runner-up finish at the NCAA meet.

The All-Academic Men’s Cross Country Team of the Year is awarded to the highest-finishing school at the NCAA Championships that meets All-Academic team qualifications (a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA during the 2006 fall term).

Overall, 98 men’s Division I programs received the USTFCCCA’s academic honor, which is just under a third of all Division schools that sponsor men’s cross country (299). To be honored as an All-Academic Team, teams must compete in an NCAA regional meet and have at least a cumulative team GPA of 3.0.

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