4 Receive USTFCCCA All-Academic Honors; Bentley Men’s Track Posts Nation’s 2nd-Best GPA
WALTHAM, Mass. – Four members of the Bentley University men's track and field team received All-Academic honors from the United States Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association for their combined success academically and athletically.
They are recent graduates Steve Maffiolini (Southington, Conn./Southington HS) and Sean Nee (West Yarmouth/Dennis-Yarmouth Reg. HS), rising senior Nik Haas (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey HS) and rising junior Holt Sihvonen (Lebanon, Conn./Lyman Memorial HS).
In order to qualify for All-Academic honors, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and have achieved a provisional or automatic qualifying standard for the NCAA Championships, either indoors or out.
Maffiolini, who competed as a graduate student this past indoor season after graduating Magna Cum Laude in May 2015, finished fifth in the 500 meters (1:05.40) at the indoor New Englands. That came a week after a sixth-place finish in the 400 (50.53) at the Northeast-10 Championships.
Nee, a Magna Cum Laude graduate this past May, was selected as a CoSIDA Academic All-America following a standout senior year that included winning the 800 meters at the indoor NE-10's in 1:54.79. During the outdoor season, he was third in the 800 (1:53.16) at the Northeast-10's and 11th in the same event (a provisional qualifying time of 1:52.26) during the New Englands.
Haas' season featured a sixth-place showing in the 1500 (3:57.90) during the outdoor conference championships. He was a provisional qualifier in the distance medley relay indoors, along with Nee and Maffiolini.
Sihvonen had a record-breaking outdoor season in the javelin, breaking the school record with a throw of 200'8" at the Silfen Invitational. He was the Northeast-10 champion in the javelin (198'1") as well as an All-New England and Division II All-East Region honoree for the second straight year.
Both the Bentley men's and women's track and field teams received All-Academic recognition from the USTFCCCA with the men's 3.42 grade point average second best among all Division II teams nationally, making this the second straight year that they've been number two nationally. The Falcon women's team also excelled in the classroom as they achieved a 3.44 GPA.
Bentley was one of just six East Region institutions to have both teams earn All-Academic honors. It's the sixth straight year both the Falcon men and women were honored.