Lonning and Vincent Earn Academic Honors

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 4, 2009

New Orleans, La. – Two members of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's cross country team have been named to the 2008 United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division III All-Academic Team.

Juniors Connor Lonning of La Crosse (Aquinas) and Dallas Vincent of Oakfield (Mayville) were selected to the team.

As a squad, UW-L was also selected to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team with a 3.12 grade point average. The Eagles were one of four Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) institutions to earn the academic award.

Lonning and Vincent both competed at the 2008 NCAA III Champinships with Lonning placing 60th and Vincent 101st. At the NCAA III Midwest Regional, Lonning finished sixth and Vincent 37th.

Lonning earned 2008 All-WIAC First Team honors after finishing fourth overall at the conference championships while Vincent was named to the honorable mention team with a 19th-place finish.

UW-L finished third at the WIAC Championships in 2008. The Eagles also placed second at the NCAA III Midwest Regional and sixth at the NCAA III Championships. UW-L has earned 21 top-six finishes in school history at the national meet, including 10 in the top-three. The Eagles have captured three national titles (1996, 2001, 2005).

For a team to be considered for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team award, they must have competed and compiled a team score at a NCAA regional meet. The team must also have a minimum 3.10 team cumulative grade point average.

For an individual to eligible for the award, a student-athlete must carry a minimum 3.50 cumulative grade point average and finish in the top 25 percent of the field at an NCAA regional meet.