University of Minnesota Athletics
Three Gophers Pick Up USTFCCCA Academic Honors
2/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
USTFCCCA Team Honorees | USTFCCCA Individual Honorees
NEW ORLEANS - Redshirt juniors Liz Berkholtz (Sun Prairie, Wis.) and Becca Dyson (Roseville, Minn.) and redshirt freshman Danielle Anderson (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) have been named to the 2014 All-Academic team by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). With a team grade point average of 3.48, Minnesota also earned All-Academic Team honors.
To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team award, a team must have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better and start at least five runners at its regional championship meet. All 14 Big Ten Conference teams were honored as All-Academic Teams, led by Ohio State (3.59), Nebraska (3.55), Purdue (3.48) and Minnesota (3.48).
Among the three Gophers to receive individual honors, Dyson is the lone repeat selection from 2014. Individual honorees must have compiled a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 and have finished in the top 25 finishers (or 10 percent) at regionals or as an All-American at the national meet.
Anderson is an undeclared major currently studying lower division biology. She was Minnesota's fourth runner at the 2014 Big Ten Championships, Midwest Regional and NCAA Championship. She ran a career-best time of 20:53.3 at the NCAA Midwest Regional, earning all-region honors in 24th overall.
Berkholtz is a psychology major. She was the Gophers' top runner in four of seven meets, including the 2014 Big Ten Championships, Midwest Regional and NCAA Championship. Berkholtz clocked a career-best 20:16.9 at the NCAA Midwest Regional, earning all-region honors in sixth overall before leading the Gophers in 80th overall at the NCAA Championship.
Dyson is studying Journalism with an emphasis on Professional Strategic Communications. She was among Minnesota's top three runners in six of seven races last fall. Dyson ran a career-best 20:37.5 as the second Gopher at the Big Ten Championships in 18th place overall and earned all-region honors as the third Gopher in 17th place overall (20:43.8) at the NCAA Midwest Regional. She was also Minnesota's second runner at the NCAA Championship.
Anderson, Berkholtz and Dyson were also among the 18 Gopher women's cross country runners named to the 2014 Academic All-Big Ten team.
This season, 153 NCAA Division I women's cross country runners earned USTFCCCA Academic All-American honors, and 226 Division I women's teams earned All-Academic team accolades.
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Players Mentioned
