Three Bearcats Earn All-Academic Honors in Track and Field

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

NEW ORLEANS, LA. -- Three Willamette University track and field athletes have been chosen for the 2011-12 NCAA Division III All-Academic Teams as selected by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The honors goes to student-athletes who have experienced both academic and athletic success.

Each All-Academic honoree achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or higher, while either competing at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships or by finishing the regular season ranked in the top 35 nationally in an individual event or in the top 25 in a relay event.

Overall, 566 student-athletes from throughout Division III received All-Academic recognition. The Women's All-Academic Team included 340 athletes, while the Men's All-Academic Team featured 226 athletes.

Willamette's All-Academic selections were:

Jaela Dinsmore
(Sr., Hines, OR/Burns HS)
Spanish and Latin American Studies (double major)

Theresa Edwards
(Jr. Lake Tapps, WA/Bonney Lake HS)
Environmental Science and Biology (double major)

Max Faulhaber
(So., Eugene, OR/Sheldon HS)
Politics, 3/2 Business Management program

Jaela Dinsmore competed in both the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash at the NCAA Championships. She placed fifth in the finals of the 100-meter dash in a personal record time of 11.95 seconds to earn All-America honors. In the 200-meter dash, she took 11th place with a time of 24.62 seconds in her preliminary heat.

At the Northwest Conference Championships, Dinsmore achieved two individual titles and helped the Bearcats place second in both relays. She won the 100-meter dash in 12.31 seconds and the 200-meter dash in 25.10 seconds. She contributed to WU's time of 49.00 seconds in the 4 x 100-meter relay, and ran the anchor leg in the 4 x 400-meter relay, as the Bearcats finished in 3:57.92.

In addition, Dinsmore received the NCAA Elite 89 Award for women's outdoor track and field as the competitor with the highest cumulative grade point average at the NCAA Division III Championships. She also was chosen for a Fulbright Scholar grant, which she will use to teach English in Colombia (South America).

Dinsmore and Edwards were named First Team Capital One Academic All-District by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Dinsmore also was chosen First Team Capital One Academic All-America.

Theresa Edwards qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 1,500-meter run and went on to take 18th place. Her fastest time of the season was 4:37.24 at the John Knight Twilight, as she set a personal record.

This spring Edwards attained a pair of individual conference titles by taking first place in the 800-meter run and the 1,500-meter run at the NWC Championships. She won the 800 with a personal record time of 2:18.45. She reached the finish line first in the 1,500 in 4:43.44.

Max Faulhaber was ranked 29th in Division III in the hammer throw on the final regular season national performance list. His top throw covered 181' 2" and set a personal record. He recorded the throw while taking second place at the Northwest Conference Championships to earned All-NWC honors. Faulhaber improved by 22' 4" over the top throw from his freshman season, which was 158' 10".

USTFCCCA Scholar-Athletes of the Year

The USTFCCCA also announced the Scholar-Athletes of the Year for the 2012 season. The winner in each category was the All-Academic athlete who placed highest in individual events at the NCAA Championships. Athletes earning more than one national championship ranked the highest.

Alana Enabnit of Wartburg College (Iowa) was chosen as the NCAA Division III Women's Outdoor Track Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She won NCAA titles this spring in the 5,000-meter run and the 10,000-meter run.

Aubree Jones from the University of Mount Union (Ohio) was selected NCAA Division III Women's Outdoor Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Jones concluded the season by winning the NCAA discus championship.

Tim Nelson from the University of Wisconsin-Stout received the NCAA Division III Men's Outdoor Track Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. He achieved two NCAA championships during the outdoor season by winning both the 5,000-meter run and the 10,000-meter run. He was named USTFCCCA National Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year.

Tim VanLiew representing the University of Rutgers-Camden (N.J.) was named NCAA Division III Men's Outdoor Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year. VanLiew won the NCAA javelin title this season.