Track Leads District I Academic Honors
6/4/2009 10:47:30 AM | Cross Country, Track and Field
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Seniors Stacie Boyle and Jeff Scull and juniors Curtis Bixler and Dan Busby have been named to the ESPN The Magazine / CoSIDA Academic All-District I Track & Field/Cross Country First Team. The Orange four will now go on the national ballot for Academic All-America recognition.
In a combined effort between the men and women, Syracuse earned the most award winners for the District I First Team. The United States Military Academy finished behind SU with three.
A 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Second Team selection, Scull is making his second straight appearance on the All-District First Team. The nutrition major was a 2008 NCAA Regional qualifier and NCAA Provisional qualifier in the 5,000-meter run and a 2007 NCAA qualifier, Northeast All-Regional Selection and All-BIG EAST in cross country. Scull was also tabbed as an All-Northeast Regional runner in 2006 after his 12th place showing at the NCAA Regional.
The Jordan Station, Ontario native transferred to Syracuse his sophomore year from Colorado State and has been named a BIG EAST Academic All-Star twice. He has also been listed to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll every semester while enrolled at SU.
Busby, who was one of two men to represent the Orange at the 2008 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship, is a three-time All-Northeast East Regional harrier. He is making his first appearance on the All-District First Team list. Busby garnered his third regional award this fall after a 10th place finish at the NCAA Regional event. In the season finale, Busby wrapped up his first NCAA Championship run in 83rd place, beating out 169 of the nation's elite. The New Paltz, N.Y. native was a BIG EAST Academic All-Star his sophomore year and has been dubbed to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll every semester. Busby is working towards a dual major in finance and accounting (CPA).
Scull and Busby were two of nine members of the 2008 USTFCCA Division I All-Academic Track & Field All-East Region Team, allowing the Orange to boast the most student-athletes in the BIG EAST Conference.
Bixler is receiving his first ESPN The Magazine / CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team award. The Mechanicsburg, Pa. native broke out this season on the track and became an NCAA Regional, IC4A and BIG EAST qualifier in the steeplechase. Most recently, Bixler crossed the line in 9:09.43 for 11th place at his first NCAA Regional. During the indoor season, Bixler was an IC4A and BIG EAST qualifier in the indoor 5,000-meter run. The geology major turned in a third-place showing at the IC4A Championship. Bixler is a two-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star and has earned Athletic Director's Honor Roll status every semester.
Boyle was also voted to the All-District First Team for the first time in her career. The Cupertino, Calif. was a stanchion for SU's middle distance team this season as she won the 800-meter event at both the Syracuse Invite and Binghamton Triangular. As a junior, she cracked the top 10 on six different occasions in a mix of 400-, 500-, 800- and 1,000-meter events. The dual major in broadcast journalism and international relations is a three-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star and has landed on the Athletic Director's Honor Roll in each of her semesters at Syracuse.
The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) selects Academic All-America teams in 12 programs. The nominee must be a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletic credentials and at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) in both undergraduate and graduate work. He/she must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institution (true freshmen, red-shirt freshmen and ineligible athletic transfers are not eligible) and must have completed at least one full academic year at the institution. Nominated athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games.
Seniors Kyle Heath (steeplechase) and Bernard Bush (long jump) and junior Uhunoma Osazuwa (heptathlon) will represent the Orange at the 2009 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championship starting up on June 10. The University of Arkansas will host the season's culmination as Bush initiates SU's campaign on June 10 with the long jump preliminaries going off at 4:00 p.m.
