Seven Buffs Earn USTFCCCA All-Academic Honors

NEW ORLEANS - The University of Colorado men's and women's cross country teams placed seven individuals on the USTFCCCA's All-Academic Teams for the 2013 season.

CU placed two men and five women on the academic teams. Honorees must have compiled a cumulative GPA or 3.25 or greater and must have finished as an All-American or among the 15 finishers (or 10 percent) in their regional meet.

Freshman Ben Saarel and junior Morgan Pearson were named to the men's team. Saarel was one of five honorees on the men's side to report a 4.0 GPA. He is majoring in engineering physics and led the Buffs to their fourth NCAA Championship since 2001 with an eighth-place finish. Pearson is majoring in economics and has recorded a 3.47 GPA. He was the second Buff to finish at nationals with a 17th-place finish.

The CU women were well represented on the all-academic team, tying Providence with five individuals to lead the NCAA. Freshman Melanie Nun, an integrative physiology major, finished the semester with a 3.94 GPA. Graduate student Abby Levene recorded a 3.77 GPA and is getting her masters in environmental journalism. Another freshman, Erin Clark, was named to the team with a GPA of 3.56. She is majoring in integrative physiology. Senior Liz Tremblay has the next highest GPA at 3.48 while double majoring in ecology and evolutionary biology and integrative physiology. Sophomore Jenny DeSouchet was the final Buff to earn recognition while majoring in English with a 3.35 GPA. All five finished in the top-15 at the NCAA Mountain Region Championship.

The women's team finished the season with a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Championships.