June 3, 2004

UI sophomore Jason Bill was named to the CoSida Academic All-District V University Division Men's Track/Cross Country Team today, an honor reflecting his success in both the classroom and on the track.

Bill , majoring in integrative biology, earned first team accolades after qualifying for the NCAA Championships in the 10,000m run and placing fifth in the 10K at the Big Ten Championships. He also regionally qualified for the 5,000m run and provisionally qualified for the indoor 3,000m run. In addition, at the Big Ten Indoor Championships Bill scored for the Illini in the 3,000m and distance medley relay.

The Buda, Ill. native was also an Academic All-Big Ten selection in cross country and track. This track season has seen Bill rise up the Illini's all-time records' lists with his performances in a number of events. Currently indoors he is second on the Fighting Illini's 3,000m list and sixth on the indoor 5,000m list. Outdoors Bill comes in fourth on the UI's 10,000m list and seventh in the outdoor 5,000m.

In cross country, Bill was the Illini's top finisher in each race he ran and won the Missouri Cross Country Challenge and the Pack-It-Up Illini Challenge. He was selected as the Big Ten Cross Country Athlete of the Week following his effort at Missouri.

Ten athletes were selected to the CoSida Academic All-District V first team. To be considered for the award, a student-athlete must be a sophomore in academic standing, own a grade-point average of 3.2 and must be a starter or key reserve for their team.

As a result of being a first team selection, Bill will be eligible for CoSida Academic All-America honors.

District V encompasses Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario.