Friday, February 10, 2012

NEW ORLEANS. – Junior Gilbert Kemboi (Eldoret, Kenya) of the USC Upstate men's cross country team was named to the 2011 Division I All-Academic Cross Country Honoree list by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as announced by the organization today. A total of 58 student-athletes, representing 36 institutions, compose the 2011 list.

This marks Kemboi's third academic honor this school year. He was named to the Academic All-Atlantic Sun Conference Cross Country Team during the fall semester alongside senior Jemeli Sang (Eldoret, Kenya) of the Upstate women's cross country team. He also earned A-Sun Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors for cross country. Kemboi boasts a 3.457 cumulative GPA, majoring in sociology.

"Gilbert is the definition of a student-athlete," said associate head coach Carson Blackwelder. "He sets a great example for our team."

Kemboi was named the A-Sun Runner of the Year after winning his second-straight conference championship Oct. 29, 2011. He crossed the finish line with a time 24:27.01 in the men's 8K, leading the Spartan men to their first Atlantic Sun team title. The junior also earned Southeast All-Region honors, finishing 11th at the regional meet Nov. 12, 2011 with a time of 30:21.6 in the men's 10K.

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. The All-Academic teams for Division-I will be announced by the USTFCCCA next week.

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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.