Varsell, Nichols & Bentley Track Teams Receive All-Academic Honors from USTFCCCA
WALTHAM, Mass. – Former Bentley University runners Amy Varsell (Burlington, Conn./ Lewis S. Mills HS) and Ashley Nichols (Kenmore, Wash./Inglemoor HS) have earned All-Academic honors from the United States Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association for their combined academic and athletic accomplishments.
Varsell, a seven-time Division II All-America and three-time Capital One NCAA Division II Academic All-America®, received the distinction for the seventh time (track annually from 2011-14, cross country in 2010, 2011 and 2013). Nichols, a four-time All-Academic honoree in cross country, received the honor in track for the first time.
To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and have reached a provisional or automatic qualifying standard for the NCAA Championships in either indoor or outdoor seasons. Varsell completed her graduate work in accountancy with a 3.48 GPA after posting a 3.82 as an undergrad and Nichols graduated with a 3.64 in computer information systems.
In addition to the two individual honors, both the Bentley men's and women's track teams received All-Academic honors for the fifth consecutive year. The men's team amassed a 3.40 GPA, second nationally among all Division II programs and the women's squad posted a 3.38, second best in the Northeast-10 Conference.
Varsell, the most decorated women's track athlete in Bentley history, finished her career in March by placing fourth in the mile at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships in Winston-Salem, N.C.. The 14-time USTFCCCA All-Region and seven-time All-New England honoree owns the school records in six individual events and four relays.
Nichols broke the school record in the 10,000 meters twice during the 2014 outdoor season, running 36:36.38 at the Raleigh Relays and 36:08.64 at the Penn Relays. She earned USTFCCCA All-Region honors in both the 5,000 and the 10,000 this spring, and was the runner-up in the 5,000 at the NE-10 Indoor Championships in February.