Titan Track Team, Anderson Collect Top Scholar Honors

July 14, 2008

The Illinois Wesleyan women's track team was named the 2008 Division III Women's Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Scholar Team of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Go here for complete team listing.

IWU had a team cumulative grade-point average of 3.40. Whitworth University had the highest overall team GPA (3.642), followed by Connecticut College (3.583). Including Wesleyan, 17 schools on the list finished in the top 25 at the Division III indoor championships and 16 schools finished in the top 25 at the Division III outdoor championships.

In March the Titans picked up the school's first NCAA women's national championship at the indoor championships. The Titans tied for the outdoor title with Wisconsin-River Falls.

There were 92 Division III women's track and field programs recognized as 2008 USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Teams. The selection of the All-Academic Indoor and Outdoor Scholar Teams of the Year award is based on a combination of academic and athletic achievements, with the top honor going to the team that had the combination of best overall finish at the Division III Indoor and/or outdoor national championships and cumulative GPA.
To be nominated, the team must carry a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade-point average.

In addition, IWU's Rachel Anderson was named one of three Division III women's track Scholar-Athletes of the Year by the USTFCCCA. IWU's Mackenzie Clemens, Ali McCoy and Brooke Halcott were also among the total of 232 student-athletes representing 84 Division III colleges and universities who were named by the USTFCCCA to the women's Division III All-Academic Track and Field team. Go here for entire team.

Anderson won the indoor and outdoor titles in the 400-meter dash, the outdoor title in the 200-meter dash and also ran the anchor leg on the indoor 4x400-meter relay team that placed first at the indoor national meet.

She was also the 2008 USTFCCCA Division III Track Athlete of the Year and was one of 11 finalists for the 2007-08 Division III Athlete of the Year, sponsored by the Collegiate Women Sports Awards and America Honda Motor Co., Inc.

CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, (309) 556-3206