NEW ORLEANS – The Florida Southern College men's cross country team along with six individuals were recognized for their success in the classroom as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) selected 111 NCAA Division II men's teams for their 2024 All-Academic Team honors while 289 individuals were honored as USTFCCCA All-Academic Athletes.
The Florida Southern runners named All-Academic Athletes include three-time selection junior
Chris Colavita, two-time honorees juniors
Christian Giller and
Caleb Brady, and first-time recipients graduate student
Elijah De La Cerda, redshirt senior
Joshua Kraver and senior
Aiden Redmond.
In order to qualify for All-Academic distinction, student athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale and finish in the top-30 percent of their respective regional championship meet, among other qualifiers.
The Florida Southern men posted a 3.652 GPA, ranking among the top-five team GPAs in the country. Only four programs finished ahead of the Mocs including the University of Findlay (3.777), Wheeling (3.74), Seton Hill (3.73) and Gannon (3.687). FSC was one of just six programs from the state of Florida to receive the honor including Florida Tech (3.53 GPA), Lynn (3.48 GPA), Embry-Riddle (3.376 GPA), Nova Southeastern (3.31 GPA), and Flagler (3.18 GPA).
Colorado School of Mines was named the 2024 NCAA Division II Men's Cross Country Scholar Team of the Year. The Orediggers, who maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.6, won the team title at the 2024 NCAA DII Cross Country Championships in Sacramento, California. This is the fifth time in program history that Colo. School of Mines has been named the NCAA Division II Men's Cross Country Scholar Team of the Year, adding to its honors from 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2022.
In order to qualify for All-Academic distinction, teams must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period and compile a team score at their respective regional championship meet, among other qualifiers.
Ryan Hartman of Augustana (S.D.) was named the 2024 NCAA Division II Men's Cross Country Scholar Athlete of the Year. Hartman, who hails from Wasau, Wisconsin, and owns a cumulative GPA of 4.0, finished second at the 2024 NCAA DII Cross Country Championships in Sacramento, California. This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Augustana (S.D.) has been named NCAA DII Cross Country National Scholar Athlete of the Year.
Brady, Colavita, De La Cerda, Giller, Kraver and Redmond led the Mocs to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Division II South Region Championship. Giller led the way individually with a second-place showing. The rest of the Mocs all finished within the top-42 of the event.
The Moccasins are now in the middle of the indoor track season.
