Aug. 3, 2011

USTFCCCA All-Academic Individuals | All-Academic Teams

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Three Illinois men's track and field athletes were named to the 2011 Division I All-Academic Track and Field team, announced on Wednesday by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Senior Matt McHugh and sophomore Josh Zinzer picked up the award for the second year in a row while junior Chris DeSilva was recognized for the first time.

To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and have met either of the following athletic standards: for the indoor season, a student-athlete must have finished the regular season ranked in the national top 96 in an individual event or ranked in the national top 48 (collective listing) in a relay event on the official NCAA POP list provided by TFRRS.org; for the outdoor season, a student-athlete must have participated in any round of the NCAA Division I Championships (including preliminary rounds).

For the second year in a row, the entire squad also was honored as a USTFCCCA All-Academic Team. A total of 90 institutions earned the distinction as a result of a cumulative team GPA of 3.0 or better.

Zinzer, a kinesiology major, ran the third leg of the 4x100m relay, which placed third at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, giving the Illini an All-America honor in the event for the first time since 1964. McHugh (hammer throw), a physics major, and DeSilva (3,000m steeplechase), an engineering major, each qualified for the NCAA West Preliminary Round of Championship in their respective events.

A total of 420 student-athletes representing 153 institutions composed the group. The Big Ten matched the Pac-10 for the second-most recipients with 41, coming in only behind the Big 12 conference with 45.