NEW ORLEANS - After earning recognition in the fall for hard work and fast times on the trails, the Cal Poly Pomona women's cross country team is now receiving accolades for dedication in the classroom.
Earlier this week, U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA) officials recognized the Broncos as an All-Academic Team for the fourth-straight season while also featuring
Tiffany Dinh and
Calene Morris as individual All-Academic honorees.
Receiving academic honors is nothing new for Dinh - a Business Administration major - as she's been featured on the USTFCCCA All-Academic in each of the last three seasons as a Bronco. She's also a three-time California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) All-Academic selection.
At the 2012 National Championships, Dinh became the second two-time All-American in the history of Cal Poly Pomona women's cross country. She is just one of three CPP student-athletes in program history to reach All-American status with Joann Howard (1985 & 1986) and Kellie Taylor (1990) winning the honor previously.
Morris, a freshman Animal Science major, is a first-time USTFCCCA All-Academic selection. This past fall, Morris shined at the Pomona Pitzer Invite where she placed 12th out of 137 runners in the 6,000-meter race with a time of 23:04. In the NCAA West Region Championships, Morris recorded a time of 23:10 in the 6K to fall just shy of her season best - the 23:02 mark she posted at the UC Riverside Invite.
To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team in Division II, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or greater through the most-recent semester and placed in the top 50 percent at the most recent NCAA National Championships or in the top 30 percent at the NCAA Regional Championships.
The entire Broncos' squad also contributed to an overall team grade point average of 3.37, earning the program USTFCCCA All-Academic Team recognition.
To qualify as a USTFCCCA All-Academic Cross Country Team, the team must have had a cumulative team GPA of 3.00 or better and have compiled a team score at their respective NCAA regional championship.
