University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Joe Murphy
Hanssler Named To Academic All-America Team Friday
Jun 24, 2016 | Men's Track and Field
2016 Memphis graduate is first men's track and field performer to earn the honor.
AUSTIN, Texas – University of Memphis senior Luis Hanssler has been named to the 2015-16 Capital One/College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America Division I third team for men's track and field/cross country, the organization announced Friday.
The team, voted on by the CoSIDA membership, recognizes the top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The Ratingen, Germany, native was named to the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District 3 first team May 27, which made him eligible to receive the national accolade.
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Hanssler is the first men's track and field performer to earn Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors and also is only the second track and field student-athlete to receive national academic recognition. In 2004-05, Lisa Marie-Hyman was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America third team.
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The Tigers' highly-decorated, multi-event performer is one of three American Athletic Conference student-athletes (men and women combined) to earn Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America distinction, joining Cincinnati's Adrian Valles (second team) and Tulsa's Tim Rackers (third team). Hanssler also is one of five track and field performers (men and women) from the state of Tennessee Division I universities that received national academic accolades. The four others honorees from Division I colleges in the state of Tennessee were Belmont's Hannah Wittman (third team), Chattanooga's Paul Stuart (second team) and Tennessee's Chelsea Blaase (first team) and Brandon Doughty (second team).
Hanssler graduated May 12 with a bachelor's degree in international business. He finished his undergraduate career with a 3.905 grade-point average.
Friday's honor adds to a long list of academic distinction for Hanssler. He is a three-time U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic honoree (2014, 2015, 2016) and a two-time American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team selection (2014, 2015). Hanssler also was a 2014-15 American Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award recipient.
A Dean's List and Tiger 3.0 Club student at Memphis, Hanssler earned academic honors as a freshman when the Tigers competed in Conference USA. He was a 2012-13 Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Medal recipient and also was named to the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll that same academic year.
Hanssler's accomplishments in the field were just as impressive. This past May, he won his third-consecutive American Athletic Conference outdoor decathlon crown (2014, 2015, 2016) and qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the event. At 2016 NCAA Championships in early June, Hanssler placed 17th in the decathlon and earned USTFCCCA All-American honorable mention distinction.
His 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships appearance was the third of Hanssler's career. He placed 18th in the decathlon at the 2014 NCAA meet and was 22nd in the long jump at the 2013 national championships. Hanssler also earned All-America honorable mention recognition for his performances in 2013 and 2014.
Hanssler set the Memphis school record in the decathlon (7471 points) in winning the 2014 American Athletic Conference title.
Hanssler also holds the program record in the indoor heptathlon (5445 points) and is the three-time American Athletic Conference champion in the event (2014, 2015, 2016). He set the heptathlon school record at the 2016 conference indoor meet.
As a freshman in 2012-13, Hanssler was runner-up in both the indoor heptathlon and outdoor decathlon at the Conference USA meets.
The team, voted on by the CoSIDA membership, recognizes the top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The Ratingen, Germany, native was named to the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District 3 first team May 27, which made him eligible to receive the national accolade.
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Hanssler is the first men's track and field performer to earn Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors and also is only the second track and field student-athlete to receive national academic recognition. In 2004-05, Lisa Marie-Hyman was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America third team.
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The Tigers' highly-decorated, multi-event performer is one of three American Athletic Conference student-athletes (men and women combined) to earn Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America distinction, joining Cincinnati's Adrian Valles (second team) and Tulsa's Tim Rackers (third team). Hanssler also is one of five track and field performers (men and women) from the state of Tennessee Division I universities that received national academic accolades. The four others honorees from Division I colleges in the state of Tennessee were Belmont's Hannah Wittman (third team), Chattanooga's Paul Stuart (second team) and Tennessee's Chelsea Blaase (first team) and Brandon Doughty (second team).
Hanssler graduated May 12 with a bachelor's degree in international business. He finished his undergraduate career with a 3.905 grade-point average.
Friday's honor adds to a long list of academic distinction for Hanssler. He is a three-time U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic honoree (2014, 2015, 2016) and a two-time American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team selection (2014, 2015). Hanssler also was a 2014-15 American Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award recipient.
A Dean's List and Tiger 3.0 Club student at Memphis, Hanssler earned academic honors as a freshman when the Tigers competed in Conference USA. He was a 2012-13 Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Medal recipient and also was named to the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll that same academic year.
Hanssler's accomplishments in the field were just as impressive. This past May, he won his third-consecutive American Athletic Conference outdoor decathlon crown (2014, 2015, 2016) and qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the event. At 2016 NCAA Championships in early June, Hanssler placed 17th in the decathlon and earned USTFCCCA All-American honorable mention distinction.
His 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships appearance was the third of Hanssler's career. He placed 18th in the decathlon at the 2014 NCAA meet and was 22nd in the long jump at the 2013 national championships. Hanssler also earned All-America honorable mention recognition for his performances in 2013 and 2014.
Hanssler set the Memphis school record in the decathlon (7471 points) in winning the 2014 American Athletic Conference title.
Hanssler also holds the program record in the indoor heptathlon (5445 points) and is the three-time American Athletic Conference champion in the event (2014, 2015, 2016). He set the heptathlon school record at the 2016 conference indoor meet.
As a freshman in 2012-13, Hanssler was runner-up in both the indoor heptathlon and outdoor decathlon at the Conference USA meets.
Players Mentioned
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