Aug. 4, 2011
NEW ORLEANS - Six members of the Illinois State women's track & field team and two members of the men's team were named to the U. S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) 2011 Division I All-Academic Track and Field Teams as announced Thursday.
On the women's side, Amanda Albrecht, Samantha Bluske, Jess Husted, Aisha Praught, Brittany Smith and Kristen Zillmer earned All-Academic status, while Curt Jensen and Scott Krapf did so for the men.
To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Teams, a student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) 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 nation's top-96 in an individual event or ranked in the nation's 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.
Albrecht, a special education major, placed fifth at the NCAA Indoor Qualifier Meet in the high-jump, posting a height of 5-07.75. She took first in the high jump and was a member of the first-place finishing distance medley relay team at the 2011 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships. She also grabbed a first-place finish at the 2011 MVC Outdoor Championships in the high jump with a mark of 5-06.00. The performance earned her a trip to the NCAA West Regional Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Ore.
Bluske wrapped up a solid sophomore season, placing third in the 10,000-meter run at the Valley Outdoor Championships with a time of 35:52.27, earning All-MVC honors. With the performance, the junior qualified for the NCAA West Regional Championships.
Husted, a native of Metamora, Ill., took first at the MVC Indoor Championships, as part of the distance medley relay team. During the outdoor season, she earned All-MVC honors in the 1,500-meter run, placing first with a time of 4:24.74 at the MVC Championships, earning a trip to the NCAA West Regional Championships.
Praught earned All-Valley honors with a second-place finish in the mile and third-place finish in the 3,000-meter run at the MVC Indoor Championships. She carried over that performance, capturing the MVC crown in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the outdoor championships with a time of 10:36.48, earning All-Valley honors and a spot at the NCAA West Regional Championships.
Smith placed third at the NCAA Indoor National Meet in the shot put with a mark of 56-04.75, a personal best, earning All-American status. She carried that momentum with her into the outdoor season, taking second at the Valley Championships in the discus and third in the hammer throw. After earning a spot at the NCAA West Regional Championships, she took 21st overall in the hammer throw with a mark of 191-02.
Zillmer, a member of the distance medley relay team, took first at the MVC Indoor Championships. During the outdoor season, she earned All-MVC honors, placing second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase behind Praught with a time of 10:40.06 and qualifying her for the NCAA West Regional Championships.
Jensen earned All-Valley honors with a third-place finish in the shot put at the indoor championships with a mark of 57-00.25. He turned his third-place performance into a conference championship at the outdoor championships, posting a personal-best mark of 57-02.75 and earning a trip to the NCAA West Regional Championships.
Krapf wrapped up an awarding career, earning a trip to the NCAA West Regional Championships where he competed in the 10,000-meter run. During the indoor season, he placed fifth in the 5,000-meter run at the MVC Championships with a time of 14:50.48. He also placed sixth at the MVC Outdoor Championships in the 5,000-meter run and fifth in the 10,000-meter run.
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