CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Seven Fighting Illini men's track and field athletes were recognized for their success on the track and in the classroom on Thursday, as the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its All-Academic list. Jon Davis, Michael Hyc, David Kendziera, Dylan Lafond, Jesse Reiser, Jonathan Wells and Aaron Wilks were each recognized individually, while Mike Turk's team was lauded for it's 3.18 cumulative GPA for the 2016-17 school year.
In order to be eligible for the award, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher and have either finished in the NCAA top-96 of their event during the indoor season or advanced to NCAA West Prelims during the outdoor season.
David Kendziera adds another award to his 2017 haul, as he adds the academic honor to his three First Team All-America finishes, Big Ten 400m hurdles title and a CoSIDA Second Team All-America accolade. Kendziera combined to score 13 points between indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships, including a bronze medal in the 110m hurdles. Now entering his redshirt senior season, Kendziera is finishing his degree in anthropology.
Majoring in chemistry, freshman distance runner Jon Davis became the first Illini to qualify for NCAA Outdoor Championships in the regional and prelims era, which began in 2003, and the first freshman since Juan Paul Green in 2013. Once in Eugene, Davis clocked the best finish among freshmen and placed 16th to earn his first career All-America honor.
The third Illini All-Academic honoree to earn All-America honors was Jonathan Wells. During the indoor season, Wells twice broke the Illinois heptathlon record and became the first Illini to qualify for NCAA Championships in the event. At the indoor national meet, Wells tallied 5,786 points to break his own school record. The redshirt sophomore made his first appearance to NCAA Outdoor Championships in June where he tied for ninth in the high jump. Wells is currently majoring in management.
Joining the three All-Americans in Eugene, recreation, sport and tourism graduate Dylan Lafond finished his Illini career with a second trip to NCAA Outdoor Championships in the steeplechase. At Big Ten championships, Lafond timed a new personal-record performance in the steeplechase (8:40.54) to win the conference crown by five seconds.
Concluding his junior season with an unblemished GPA, accountancy major Michael Hyc ended his third season on high note with two personal-best throws in the hammer throw at NCAA West Prelims. After improving his personal-record on his first attempt, Hyc came back with a six-foot improvement on his next throw, marking 204'5" (62.32m), to move into second place on the Illini all-time list.
Fellow thrower Aaron Wilks, who graduated in May with a degree in aerospace engineering, made his second straight appearance at NCAA West Prelims this past season. Qualifying him for the meet was a 220'4.75" personal-record at the Illinois State Redbird Invite on April 8. In May, the Illini senior placed at Big Ten Championships, taking eighth with a mark of 218'4'.
Rounding out the seven Illini, Jesse Reiser advanced to his second consecutive NCAA West Prelims in the 1500m. Two weeks prior, the sophomore distance runner scored at Big Ten Championships in the event, placing seventh. Earlier in the year, Reiser moved into Illinois' top-10 lists in the 1500m, 3,000m and 5,000m races. Reiser is majoring in advertising.
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