Falcons Named USTFCCCA All-Academic Team For Tenth Consecutive Year

The Bowling Green State University women's cross country team strives to make academic excellence an ongoing cornerstone of the program.  These efforts have resulted in what has now become a yearly event -- being named as one of the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Teams.

This afternoon (Feb. 16), the USTFCCCA released its annual list of All-Academic teams.  A total of 192 teams met the qualifications for inclusion on the list, which are a cumulative team grade point average of 3.0 or above and five (or more) participants in the team's regional NCAA meet.

This marks the tenth consecutive year that the Falcons have earned All-Academic status.  For the 2010 season, the Falcons earned a cumulative GPA of 3.64, which stands as tenth best in the entire nation.  This will be the second time in four years that BGSU has placed in the top-ten nationally.  Further, this is the fourth consecutive year that the Falcons have held the best team GPA in the Mid-American Conference.

Bowling Green is one of seven MAC schools to make this year's list.

Head coach Cami Paulson said, "I feel very strongly that the student-athletes in our program are here first and foremost as students.  Every young lady who is a member of this team is committed to academic success.  My job as a coach is to put them in the best position to be successful in all areas of their lives.  Excelling in the classroom is job one."

Paulson stated that she is proud of this team, as well as those who preceded them and helped create this streak.  She notes that the team takes pride in maintaining this level of academic success on a yearly basis.

"Academics is first priority from the time (athletes) are recruited until the day they graduate.  Getting the diploma that will set you up to pursue the rest of your life goals is most important.  The young women in the program do a great job of balancing all the responsibilities in their lives," said Paulson.  "They are all committed to the team success in the classroom and in competition.  The ultimate success is to be number one in the classroom and in competition, and that is something we will keep striving to accomplish."