Friday, February 10, 2012

NEW ORLEANS. – Senior Jemeli Sang (Eldoret, Kenya) of the USC Upstate women's cross country team was named to the 2011 Division I All-Academic Cross Country Team by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as announced by the organization today.

This marks Sang's second academic honor this school year. She was named to the Academic All-Atlantic Sun Conference Cross Country Team during the fall semester alongside junior Gilbert Kemboi (Eldoret, Kenya) of the Upstate men's cross country team. Sang boasts a 3.477 cumulative GPA, majoring in chemistry.

Sang led the Spartan women to a fourth-place finish at the 2011 A-Sun Championships, picking up her first individual conference championship crown with a time of 17.20.90 in the women's 5K. She was an All-A-Sun First Team member and the A-Sun Women's Runner of the Year. The senior earned Southeast All-Region honors, finishing 16th at the regional meet with a time of 20:46.9 in the women's 6K.

To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Cross Country Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and have either earned USTFCCCA All-America status or finished in the NCAA region's top 15 (or top 10 percent) in 2011.

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an NCAA Division I league with 10 member institutions committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun meets the challenge of maintaining the highest standards in academic and athletic achievement with a true balance between student and athlete. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University. Northern Kentucky University will join the A-Sun beginning July 1, 2012.