Bentley Places 10 on 2011 USTFCCCA Division II All-Academic Team
WALTHAM, Mass. – Ten Bentley University student-athletes were named to the 2011 Division II Men's and Women's Cross Country All-Academic teams by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Bentley, coached by Kevin Curtin, was the only Division II institution in the country to place five on both the men's and the women's team, and one of only two that had a total of ten athletes recognized with All-Academic honors, a distinction the Falcons shared with Edinboro University.
Earning All-Academic recognition from the men's team were senior Tom Witherell (Los Alamos, N.M./Los Alamos HS) and a quartet of juniors: Rob Dextradeur (Branford, Conn./Branford HS), John Drago (Avon, Conn./Avon HS), Sean Maguire (Essex, Vt./Essex HS) and Craig Robinson (Scarborough, Maine/Scarborough HS).
On the women's side, Bentley was represented on the All-Academic team by senior Evelyn Marrero (Amsterdam, N.Y./Amsterdam HS), juniors Caitlin Fahey (Bridgewater/Coyle-Cassidy HS) and Amy Varsell (Burlington, Conn./Lewis S. Mills HS), sophomore Ashley Nichols (Kenmore, Wash./ Inglemoor HS) and freshman Tara Dooley (Lee/Lee HS).
Fahey was recognized for the third time, and Drago, Marrero, Nichols, Robinson and Varsell were repeat honorees.
"One of the things we emphasize with our athletes is that they're here for the education first and this shows that they've taken this message to heart," said Curtin. "It's tough at times for them to balance the academics and athletics but they do a real nice job of succeeding at both."
To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic cross country team in Division II, a student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or greater through the most recent semester, completed at least 12 credit hours in the semester of cross country competition, and placed in the top 50 percent at the NCAA National Championships or in the top 30 percent at the NCAA Regional Championships.
The Bentley women's team had the most successful season in its history, qualifying for the NCAA nationals for the first time where it finished 21st. The men's team saved its best for last, placing third in the NCAA Division II East Regional.