The Valparaiso University men’s and women’s cross country teams have earned recognition as All-Academic Teams from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for their success in the classroom this year.

The 2020-2021 Division I Cross Country Team All-Academic Awards were released on Thursday, honoring teams from across the country. To be selected, teams must own at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale.

The Valpo men compiled a 3.41 grade point average, while the women’s team owned a 3.21 GPA, continuing a tradition of academic success for the Valpo cross country programs.

This honor comes after sophomore Eric Carothers (Fishers, Ind. / Hamilton Southeastern) was named to the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete Team and earned the prestigious Elite 17 Award, becoming the first Valpo student-athlete in any sport to do so. The Elite 17 honor for men’s cross country goes to the individual with the highest GPA among Top-10 finishers in the conference championship.