Nine members of the track and field team have been named to the Academic All-GNAC squad for having at least a 3.2 grade point average and posting a qualifying standard for either the GNAC Indoor or Outdoor Track and Field Championships, announced Wednesday by the conference office.
Two of the nine were named to the academic squad for the second consecutive year: distance runners Rhiannon Cadelinia (, ) and Natalie Martinez (). Cadelinia is a liberal studies major with a 3.77 grade point average, while is majoring in biology with a 3.28 grade point average.
Katie Hansen (, ), who posted an NCAA provisional qualifying time in the 3000 meter run at the GNAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, has the highest GPA among the honorees, presently carrying a 3.90 grade point average while majoring in biology. Nicholas Alvarado (, ) is the only male to earn the honor with a 3.49 grade point average while in the pre-major program.
Other first-time honorees include junior Jennifer Innes (, ), a humanities for teaching major with a 3.71 grade point average, sophomore distance runner Rachel Yorkston (), a nursing major with a 3.55 grade point average, sophomore jumper Mara Becker (Fairbanks, Alaska), presently holding a 3.42 grade point average as a general science major, sophomore thrower Lindsay Currier (Beaverton, Ore.), also a nursing major with a 3.26 GPA, and sophomore runner Greta Stickney (Poulsbo, Wash.), a journalism major with a 3.24 grade point average.
Overall, 111 student-athletes ? 72 women and 39 men ? were named to the 2008 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Track and Field academic all-star team. Besides the 3.2 GPA and the qualifying standard, student-athletes must be in at least their second year of competition at their university to be eligible.