Illinois State track and field student-athlete J.D. LaFayette was named a Google Cloud Academic All-American for the third time in his career, announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Thursday.
13 men are repeat selections this year and LaFayette is among only two members who are three-time honorees. The redshirt senior was named to the first team this year, after being named a second team selection in 2018, and earning a spot on the third team in 2016.
"We're really proud of J.D. for this honor," said Illinois State Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Jeff Bovee. "I think it's a testament to his fortitude. He's had some injuries and setbacks that he's fought through and all the while been able to maintain a perfect academic record and still perform at a high-level. He's a consummate team-member and he embodies what it means to be a student-athlete."
LaFayette, a native of Normal, Illinois, has kept a perfect 4.00 GPA while studying Computer Science at Illinois State. On the track, LaFayette was crowned the MVC Indoor Track & Field Champion in the 800-meter run on two separate occasions and has been the recipient of the MVC's prestigious Elite 17 Award twice in his career.
The 2019 Google Cloud Academic All-American® Men's and Women's Track & Field/Cross Country teams, selected by CoSIDA, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. To be eligible for Academic All-District consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a 4.00 scale, be at least a sophomore in both athletic and academic standing, and be nominated by his or her institution's sports information director.
For a full list of Academic All-Americans, visit CoSIDA.com.
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