East Central’s Daniel Kiptoo and West Texas A&M’s Jessica Blakely earned top honors Wednesday when Lone Star Conference officials announced the league's cross country all-academic awards.
Kiptoo was named the LSC Men's Academic Runner of the Year, while Blakely was tabbed LSC Women's Academic Runner of the Year. Both were voted to the LSC All-Academic team, which recognized 10 runners -- five men and five women -- for both academic and athletic achievement. To be eligible for the All-Academic team, student-athletes must maintain a 3.30 cumulative grade point average. The All-Academic teams are voted upon by the league's sports information directors.
Along with Kiptoo, on the men's All-Academic team were Angelo State’s Clint Bippert, West Texas A&M’s Thomas Harris, Texas A&M-Commerce’s Robert Reed and Cameron’s Julius Korir.
Joining Blakely on the women's All-Academic team were Tarleton’s Rhyland Pittenger, Incarnate Word’s Bailey Loyd, Central Oklahoma’s Alina Istrate and Angelo State’s Emeline Crutcher.
All the runners will compete in the LSC Cross Country Championships this Saturday, November 6, in Abilene, Texas.
2010 MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Runner Team Year Major Hometown
Daniel Kiptoo East Central Jr. Physics Eldoret, Kenya
Clint Bippert Angelo State Jr. Animal Science Castroville, Texas
Thomas Harris West Texas A&M Sr. Biology Amarillo, Texas
Robert Reed Texas A&M-Commerce Sr. Kinesiology Sachse, Texas
Julius Korir Cameron Jr. Undecided Eldoret, Kenya
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Academic Runner of the Year: Daniel Kiptoo, East Central
2010 WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Runner Team Year Major Hometown
Jessica Blakely West Texas A&M So. Finance Hereford, Texas
Rhyland Pittenger Tarleton State So. Communications Mesquite, Texas
Bailey Loyd Incarnate Word Jr. Interior Design Bucyrus, Kansas
Emeline Crutcher Angelo State So. Biology Wellman, Texas
Megan Bryant Eastern New Mexico Jr. Graphic Design Carlsbad, N.M.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Academic Runner of the Year: Jessica Blakely, West Texas A&M