UT Tyler’s Zach Tucker and DBU’s Leslie Filorio were named the 2020 Lone Star Conference Cross Country Academic Runners of the Year as the league announced the all-academic honors on Monday.
Both Tucker and Filorio were one of 10 runners recognized for their work on the course and in the classroom as members of the 2020 LSC All-Academic Team. 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 on by the league’s sports information directors.
Tucker, a senior from Perrin, was named the 2020 LSC Men’s Academic Runner of the Year for the second consecutive season and earned a 4.00 cumulative grade point average as a chemistry and biochemistry double major at UTT. He posted a career-best 8-kilometer time of 28:42.73 at the LSC Championships on Oct. 31 as the Patriots finished in third place at the conference meet.
Tucker was joined on the men’s team by Lubbock Christian’s Fernando Villalon, Texas A&M-Commerce’s Tanner Townsend and Western New Mexico duo Michael Anzures and Daniel Beam.
Filorio , a junior from Abilene, was named the LSC Women’s Academic Runner of the Year and posted a 4.00 cumulative grade point average as a political science major at DBU. This season Filorio has earned four top 10 finishes including a career-best third-place finish at the DBU XC Opener in to open the season. Filorio’s performances have led the Lady Patriots to four wins in four meets this season and helped DBU claim the 2020 LSC Women's Cross Country Championship on Oct. 31.
Filorio led the women’s team which also includes teammates Madison Brown and Rylee Christian along with West Texas A&M’s Maddie Hooker and Western New Mexico’s Brenda Prieto.
2020 MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
| Runner |
Team |
Year |
Major |
Hometown |
| Fernando Villalon |
Lubbock Christian |
So. |
Exercise Science |
Antequera, Spain |
| Tanner Townsend |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
So. |
Kinesiology and Sports Studies |
Royse City, Texas |
| Zach Tucker |
UT Tyler |
Sr. |
Chemistry and Biochemistry |
Perrin, Texas |
| Daniel Beam |
Western New Mexico |
So. |
History |
Rio Rancho, N.M. |
| Michael Anzures |
Western New Mexico |
Sr. |
Kinesiology |
Seboyeta, N.M. |
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Academic Runner of the Year: Zach Tucker, UT Tyler
2020 WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
| Runner |
Team |
Year |
Major |
Hometown |
| Leslie Filorio |
DBU |
Jr. |
Political Science |
Abilene, Texas |
| Madison Brown |
DBU |
So. |
Biology |
Round Rock, Texas |
| Rylee Cristan |
DBU |
Jr. |
Education |
Keller, Texas |
| Maddie Hooker |
West Texas A&M |
So. |
Plant, Soil, and Environmental Science |
Yantis, Texas |
| Brenda Prieto |
Western New Mexico |
So. |
Cell and Molecular Biology |
Las Cruces, N.M. |
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Academic Runner of the Year: Leslie Filorio, DBU