Track Athletes Earn USTFCCCA Academic Honor
Thursday, July 26 2012
NEW ORLEANS – Three members of the Eastern Illinois track and field team have earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors as handed out by the organization. Stefan Gorol, Graham Morris and Mick Viken were all recognized by the USTFCCCA on Wednesday.
To be eligible for the USTFCCCA All-Academic team an athlete must has compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and have met either of the following standards: finished the indoor regular season ranked in the national top 96 in an individual event (top 48 for relay events) or participated in any round of the NCAA Division I outdoor championships.
Gorol competed in the NCAA Regional this season as a member of the 4x400 relay team. The relay squad placed 20th at the NCAA meet with a time of 3:11.42. He was an OVC champion as a member of the 4x400 relay team and in the OVC individual 400m. His best 400m time was 47.39 which ranks 8th on the EIU career list.
Morris competed in the NCAA Regional in the steeplechase. He placed 40th with a time of 9:25.31. He was the OVC regular season champion in the event. Morris best time in the steeplechase during the season was 8:52.76 when he won the Drake Relays. He ranks third on the EIU career list in the event.
Viken advanced to the NCAA National Championships in the pole vault this year earning second team All-American honors. He placed 12th at the national meet with a height of 17'4.50”. He was fifth at the NCAA Regional with a height of 17'8.50” which ranks first on the EIU career list.
The OVC had eight total male athletes recognized on the USTFCCCA All-Academic team with two athletes from Eastern Kentucky and three from Southeast Missouri. As a team EIU won its fourth straight OVC indoor and OVC outdoor track championships.
To be eligible for the USTFCCCA All-Academic team an athlete must has compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and have met either of the following standards: finished the indoor regular season ranked in the national top 96 in an individual event (top 48 for relay events) or participated in any round of the NCAA Division I outdoor championships.
Gorol competed in the NCAA Regional this season as a member of the 4x400 relay team. The relay squad placed 20th at the NCAA meet with a time of 3:11.42. He was an OVC champion as a member of the 4x400 relay team and in the OVC individual 400m. His best 400m time was 47.39 which ranks 8th on the EIU career list.
Morris competed in the NCAA Regional in the steeplechase. He placed 40th with a time of 9:25.31. He was the OVC regular season champion in the event. Morris best time in the steeplechase during the season was 8:52.76 when he won the Drake Relays. He ranks third on the EIU career list in the event.
Viken advanced to the NCAA National Championships in the pole vault this year earning second team All-American honors. He placed 12th at the national meet with a height of 17'4.50”. He was fifth at the NCAA Regional with a height of 17'8.50” which ranks first on the EIU career list.
The OVC had eight total male athletes recognized on the USTFCCCA All-Academic team with two athletes from Eastern Kentucky and three from Southeast Missouri. As a team EIU won its fourth straight OVC indoor and OVC outdoor track championships.