AUSTIN, Texas - Nine Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) cross country/track & field student-athletes earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors, the organization announced on Wednesday.
Five women and four men representing six member institutions were among those selected, including University of Illinois Springfield (2), University of Indianapolis (2), University of Southern Indiana (2), Lewis University (1), Maryville University (1), and Missouri S&T (1). Illinois Springfield, UIndy, and Southern Indiana each placed one on the men's and women's lists.
UIndy's Lauren Bailey and UIS' Taryn Christy headlined the women's side, each earning Academic All-America First Team honors. UIS's Jennifer Comastri and Lewis' Allie Heinzer claimed Second Team accolades, with Maryville's Casey Berberich selected to the Third Team.
Bailey was named the GLVC Runner of the Year in cross country last fall, while Heinzer (GLVC Track Athlete of the Year) and Berberich (GLVC Co-Field Athlete of the Year) were each recognized as the league's best at the 2021 GLVC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in May.
On the men's side, UIndy's Ben Nagel was the lone GLVC student-athlete to snag Academic All-America First Team honors, posting a 4.0 GPA in Actuarial Science as a junior. USI's Austin Nolan and S&T's Nathan Swadley were named to the Second Team, while UIS' Blake Jones was voted to the Third Team.
Jones had an outstanding junior campaign, earning GLVC Runner of the Year at the 2020 Cross Country Championships before being named the GLVC Track Athlete of the Year following the 2021 Outdoor Track & Field Championships this past May. Swadley was also voted the GLVC Field Athlete of the Year to lead S&T to the team title at the outdoor event.