Nine Earn USTFCCCA Academic Honors

NORMAN - Nine University of Oklahoma track and field student-athletes have been named All-Academic individuals for the 2014-15 season by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

“We talk a lot about our standards of excellence with the team and our recruits,” head coach Jim VanHootegem said. “This is an excellent opportunity to point out how what people are doing in track and field relates to academics and what they are doing in academics relates to athletics. It presents a great teachable moment.”

These awards send a strong message that you can do both successfully here at OU. First, it is possible to succeed in both at OU. Second, when you get to campus, you have role models who are succeeding and many of them are our best, our leaders.
Jim VanHootegem, head coach

To qualify for the award, student-athletes must have had a cumulative grade point average of 3.25. For the award in indoor competition, a student-athlete needed to finish the regular season in the top 96 in an individual event or in the top 48 in a relay event. For the award in outdoor competition, a student-athlete had to participate in any round of the NCAA Division I championships.

“We don't separate the student from the athlete – both make up the individual at OU,” VanHootegem continued. “Athletics are a huge part of the education process at OU just as academics are a huge part of the athletics process at OU.

“These awards send a strong message that you can do both successfully here at OU. First, it is possible to succeed in both at OU. Second, when you get to campus, you have role models who are succeeding and many of them are our best, our leaders.”

Six women from the Sooner squad were recognized. Indoor honorees included Avione Allgood, shot put, 3.53 in criminology, while outdoor honorees included Elizabeth Herrs, javelin, 3.40 in criminology; Alexandra Morgan, discus, 3.37 inpsychology; and Belle Wallace, 1,500-meter run, 4.00 in pre-dental hygiene. Two women, Julia Reedy, 3.44 in multidisciplinary studies, and Makayla Stephens, 3.61 in pre-physician associate, earned honors for the indoor and outdoor seasons. Reedy was honored in the indoor weight throw and the outdoor hammer while Stephens was honored for the indoor pentathlon and the outdoor high jump and heptathlon.

Three men were honored. Brandon Doughty, 3.79 in multidisciplinary studies, earned the honor for the indoor 3,000-meter run and distance medley relay and the outdoor steeplechase. Zac Randall, 4.00 in graduate studies in global studies, earned the honor for the outdoor 800 and T.J. Noonan, 3.25 in chemical engineering/pre-med biomedical, was honored for the outdoor javelin.

It marked the second honor in track and field for Allgood, Morgan, Doughty and Noonan. Doughty has also been honored once for his athletic and academic success in cross country.

“To have two honorees (Stephens and Wallace) be true freshmen from the state of Oklahoma speaks very highly of what we have in place here at OU,” VanHootegem added. “We want the best and brightest in the state of Oklahoma to become Sooners.”

In addition, the Oklahoma women's team received academic honors with a cumulative team GPA of 3.14. All 10 women's teams in the Big 12 received All-Academic team honors. To be considered for a team award, the cumulative GPA had to be at least a 3.00. This marks the second consecutive year under VanHootegem for the OU women to earn a team award.

The OU women also earned team honors for the 2014 cross country season.

Players Mentioned

Avione Allgood

Brandon Doughty

Elizabeth Herrs

Alexandra Morgan

T.J. Noonan

Zac Randall

Julia Reedy

Makayla Stephens

Belle Wallace

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics