Behrend Cross Country Teams Earn Academic All-American Honors,
Women Rank Second in Nation

The NCAA Division III Cross Country Coaches Association has announced the 2004 Academic All-American teams and individuals.  Behrend's men's and women's teams were recognized.

The women's team was ranked second overall out of the 109 Division III schools that qualified.   The team's 3.696 GPA was well above the 3.0 standard that qualifies a team for Academic All-American status.  The team also had two individuals make the team.  Senior Jessica Knapp (Erie/McDowell) and sophomore Leslie Gentile (Corry/Corry) carried a 3.67 and 3.65 GPA, respectively.  Individuals are named to the team by carrying a GPA of 3.5 or better and finishing in the top 25% at the NCAA Regional competition.  Knapp finished seventh at Regionals with a time of 22:33 while Gentile placed twenty-ninth with a time of 23:42.

The men's team also had an outstanding year academically.  The team's 3.24 GPA ranked it thirty-ninth out of the sixty-nine qualifying institutions.  Sophomore Brad Ruffo (West Middlesex/West Middlesex) earned individual honors by carrying a 3.53 GPA.  At Regionals Ruffo finished forty-eighth in a time of 27:22.


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Updated July 18, 2005
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