NEW ORLEANS (Blugolds.com) – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced the 2017 NCAA Division III Cross Country All-Academic Awards, with Darin Lau (Sr.- Eau Claire, WI/ Immanuel Lutheran) earning the top men's individual honor.
Individual All-Academic Release | Team All-Academic Release
Lau, who won the individual national title this fall, was named USTFCCCA NCAA DIII Scholar Athlete of the Year. The senior owns a 3.81 GPA in Math Education and won six out of the seven meets he competed in this fall. The Eau Claire native is the second Blugold in three years to win the award as Josh Thorson took top honors in 2015.
In addition, both the men's and women's team earned All-Academic honors with team GPA's of 3.30 and 3.59, respectively. On the men's side, Riley Huffman (Sr. - Oshkosh, WI/North) and Brendon Paucek (Sr. – Sullivan, WI/Jefferson) joined Lau on the individual All-Academic Team. For the women, Liz Cisewski (Fr. – Stevens Point, WI/Pacelli), Callie Fischer (Sr. - Oneida, WI/Ashwaubenon), Morgan Marek (Jr. Muskego, WI/Muskego) , Joanne Reiners (Jr. – Bristol, WI/Westosha Central) and Samantha Slattery (So. – Waunakee, WI/Waunakee) also earned individual All-Academic honors.
At the national meet, the Blugold women placed second in the nation while the men finished in seventh.
