UT Permian Basin’s Nicholas Wittkopp and West Texas A&M’s Aubrey Watson earned top honors Thursday as Lone Star Conference officials announced the league's cross country all-academic awards.
Wittkopp was named the LSC Men's Academic Runner of the Year, while Watson took home LSC Women's Academic Runner of the Year acclaim. 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.
Wittkopp led the men’s squad with Tarleton State’s Jarred Elizondo, Texas A&M-Commerce’s Sergio Marcuello, Western New Mexico’s Michael Anzures, and Cameron’s Steffen Riestenpatt.
Watson was joined on the women’s All-Academic team by Tarleton’s Gretzel Jimenez, A&M-C’s Brandi Stalder, Midwestern State Mercy Yermo, and Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Jade Guerrero.
The runners will compete in the LSC Cross Country Championships Saturday, November 3 in Canyon, Texas.
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
| Runner |
Team |
Year |
Major |
Hometown |
| Nicholas Wittkopp |
UT Permian Basin |
Sr. |
Kinesiology |
Dove, Texas |
| Jarred Elizondo |
Tarleton State |
Jr. |
Engineering |
Bandera, Texas |
| Sergio Marcuello |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
Sr. |
Business Administration |
Cuenca, Spain |
| Michael Anzures |
Western New Mexico |
So. |
Kinesiology |
Seboyeta, New Mexico |
| Steffen Riestenpatt |
Cameron |
So. |
Biology |
Bissendorf, Germany |
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Academic Runner of the Year: Nicholas Wittkopp, UT Permian Basin
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
| Runner |
Team |
Year |
Major |
Hometown |
| Aubrey Watson |
West Texas A&M |
Jr. |
Sports and exercise science |
Amarillo, Texas |
| Gretzel Jimenez |
Tarleton State |
Jr. |
Physical Therapy |
China Spring, TX |
| Brandi Stalder |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
Jr. |
Environmental Science |
Sanger, Texas |
| Mercy Yermo |
Midwestern State |
So. |
Exercise Physiology |
Bandera, Texas |
| Jade Guerrero |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
Sr. |
Environmental Engineering |
Corpus Christi, Texas |
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Academic Runner of the Year: Aubrey Watson, West Texas A&M