The Seattle University women's cross country team included eight runners who qualified for the academic honor, the most among the Great West women's cross country programs. Senior Rachel Yorkston (Bellingham, Wash.), an Academic All-GNAC selection in 2007, picked up her second career cross country academic all-conference honor with a 3.553 grade point average while majoring in nursing. Fellow senior and 2007 Academic All-GNAC honoree Greta Stickney (Poulsbo, Wash.) also earned her second career academic honor with a 3.247 GPA as an English and creative writing major.
Juniors Julia Miller (Normandy Park, Wash.) and Allison Prather (Carpinteria, Calif.) made the list, with Miller having a 3.31 grade point average as a general science major and Prather majoring in psychology with a 3.743 GPA. Four sophomores received academic all-conference honors: Sarah Bolce (Sacramento, Calif.), a nursing major with a 3.417 GPA; Celeste Cassidy (Bellingham, Wash.), also a nursing major with a 3.283 GPA; Ashley Dalton (Bellingham, Wash.), a sport and exercise science major with a 3.485 GPA; and Nicole Waters (Phoenix, Ariz.), a psychology major with a 3.233 GPA.
On the men's side, senior Nicholas Alvarado (San Francisco, Calif.) was named Academic All-Great West after posting a 3.59 cumulative grade point average after the fall quarter as a psychology major. Junior Hans Heitzinger (Scottsdale, Ariz.) is a finance major with a 3.35 grade point average, while Michael Van Nuland (Newcastle, Wash.) currently has a 3.722 GPA as a biology major. Sophomore Matthew McClement (Bellingham, Wash.) adds this honor to his second team All-Great West award with a 3.566 GPA as a biochemistry major.
To be eligible for the Great West Conference Fall Academic Teams, student-athletes must have a minimum cumulative 3.2 grade point average. The athletes also must have participated in at least 50 percent of their respective team's contests. Using the institutions' most recent GPA, the student-athletes are selected by each member institution's sports information director, with approval from the faculty athletic representative and the head coach. First-year students and JC transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award.