Track and field teams receive National Academic Recognition

INDIANOLA, Iowa - The Simpson men's and women's track and field teams each landed spots on the Division III All-Academic Track and Field Teams last week, as chosen by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

With a cumulative GPA of 3.569, the women's team held the nation's seventh-best GPA, tops in the Iowa Conference. The men sported the No. 2 GPA in the conference (3.132), good for 46th in the nation.

"We take great pride in our kids competing at a high level both athletically and in the classroom," head coach Dave Cleveland said. "Both of our teams have been fortunate enough in the last few years to receive recognition for their hard work in the classroom."

A total of 100 Division III women's teams and 51 men's team made the All-Academic Track and Field Teams, with a minimum overall GPA of 3.100 required for nomination.

The Simpson women finished third in the conference during the indoor season and fifth during the outdoor season, sending four student-athletes to both the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships and the Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships. All-American performances by Lauren Bucklin (Bondurant, Iowa/Bondurant-Farrar) in the 100 and 400-meter hurdles and Catie Ellingson (Indianola, Iowa/Indianola) in the 1500-meter run propelled Simpson to a 24th place finish at the outdoor championships.

The Simpson men finished fourth at the Iowa Conference Championships during the indoor season and sixth in the outdoor campaign.