University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Matthew Smith
Cross Country Earns USTFCCCA Academic Honor
Mar 27, 2019 | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
Tigers rank among nation's top-15 programs in GPA.
NEW ORLEANS, La. – The University of Memphis men's and women's cross country squads were named among the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division I All-Academic Teams for the 2018 season.
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The Tigers were one of seven American Athletic Conference programs to have their men's and women's teams receive the honor. Joining Memphis from the league on both lists were Cincinnati, Houston, Temple, Tulsa, USF and Wichita State. Connecticut's men's squad was named to the USTFCCCA honor roll, and SMU's and Tulane's women's teams also garnered the accolade (SMU, Tulane only sponsor a women's team).
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The Tigers women's squad tied Temple for the highest grade-point average (GPA) in The American with a 3.71. The Memphis men's team's 3.53 GPA was second in the conference to Temple (3.58).
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This is the first time since 2015 that Memphis' men's and women's teams were named among the USTFCCCA All-Academic Teams for the same season. The women's squad has earned the honor seven of the last eight seasons (2011-16, 2018), and the men's team six of the last eight (2011-15, 2018).
A total of 427 college cross country teams (195 men, 232 women) posted a team GPA of 3.0 or higher to earn USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors.
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The Memphis men's and women's teams both finished among the top 10 percent of the squads on the list in terms of GPA (men: top 7 percent; women: top 5 percent). The Tigers men's 3.53 GPA was tied for 13thnationally, and the women's 3.71 GPA was tied for 11th. The following lists the top 15 GPA for men and women nationally:
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The Tigers were one of seven American Athletic Conference programs to have their men's and women's teams receive the honor. Joining Memphis from the league on both lists were Cincinnati, Houston, Temple, Tulsa, USF and Wichita State. Connecticut's men's squad was named to the USTFCCCA honor roll, and SMU's and Tulane's women's teams also garnered the accolade (SMU, Tulane only sponsor a women's team).
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The Tigers women's squad tied Temple for the highest grade-point average (GPA) in The American with a 3.71. The Memphis men's team's 3.53 GPA was second in the conference to Temple (3.58).
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This is the first time since 2015 that Memphis' men's and women's teams were named among the USTFCCCA All-Academic Teams for the same season. The women's squad has earned the honor seven of the last eight seasons (2011-16, 2018), and the men's team six of the last eight (2011-15, 2018).
A total of 427 college cross country teams (195 men, 232 women) posted a team GPA of 3.0 or higher to earn USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors.
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The Memphis men's and women's teams both finished among the top 10 percent of the squads on the list in terms of GPA (men: top 7 percent; women: top 5 percent). The Tigers men's 3.53 GPA was tied for 13thnationally, and the women's 3.71 GPA was tied for 11th. The following lists the top 15 GPA for men and women nationally:
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USTFCCCA Division I All-Academic Teams
Top-15 GPA
Top-15 GPA
| Men | Women | ||||
| Rank | Team | GPA | Rank | Team | GPA |
| 1. | Southern Ill. | 3.67 | 1. | Radford | 3.87 |
| 2. | Lafayette | 3.65 | 2. | Alabama | 3.80 |
| 3. | Loyola Chicago | 3.64 | Chattanooga | 3.80 | |
| 4. | Grand Canyon | 3.63 | 4. | St. Francis, Pa. | 3.77 |
| 5. | Eastern Mich. | 3.61 | 5. | Iowa State | 3.75 |
| 6. | Chattanooga | 3.58 | 6. | South Dakota | 3.74 |
| Temple | 3.58 | SE Missouri | 3.74 | ||
| 8. | Lipscomb | 3.57 | 8. | Utah State | 3.74 |
| Louisiana Tech | 3.57 | 9. | Illinois | 3.72 | |
| Marquette | 3.57 | Portland | 3.72 | ||
| 11. | Bowling Green | 3.55 | 11. | Memphis | 3.71 |
| New Mexico | 3.55 | Kent State | 3.71 | ||
| 13. | Memphis | 3.53 | Lipscomb | 3.71 | |
| Canisius | 3.53 | Stetson | 3.71 | ||
| Harvard | 3.53 | Temple | 3.71 | ||
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