Women Harriers Earn Academic Honor

NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Shenandoah University women's cross country team has earned an All-Academic Team honor by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in selections announced Friday by the organization.

Coach Andy Marrocco's 10-woman squad had an average GPA of 3.48 on a 4.0 scale, which was good enough for 50th in the nation. This is the second straight year the squad has earned this honor from the USTFCCCA and the team jumped 18 spots from the 2008-09.

In the spring of 2009, Marrocco's women's track & field team recorded the highest team GPA in the nation. Five of the 10 women on the 2009 women's cross country team were part of the 2008-09 track squad that led the nation in GPA.

On the course, the 2009 harriers were ranked in the region for most of the season and finished as runners-up at the USA South Conference Championships.

Marrocco returns nine of these 10 women this coming fall.

The team opens the 2010 season on September 4 at Salisbury.