July 14, 2008

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Five Western Washington University track and field athletes were named to the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division II All-Academic Team.

The quintet includes Heidi Dimmitt (Jr., Wenatchee), Monika Gruszecki (So., Lynnwood/Meadowdale), Keith Lemay (Sr., Lynden/Lynden Christian), Christy Miller (Jr., Boise, ID/Bishop Kelly), and Jordan Welling (So., Burlington/Burlington-Edison).

Dimmitt, Lemay and Miller were all honored for the second straight year. Dimmitt is a chemistry major maintaining a 3.67 grade point average (4.0 scale), Gruszecki has not yet declared a major and has a 3.26 GPA, Lemay is a physical education major with a 3.68 GPA, Miller is a biology major with a 3.44 GPA and Welling has not yet declared a major and has a 3.63 GPA.

Gruszecki placed second in the women's javelin at the NCAA II National Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Dimmitt was fourth in the women's 400-meter hurdles and Lemay sixth in the men's 800. All three were USTFCCCA All-Americans.

Miller, who also was a national competitor, set a school record in the women's pole vault and Welling was a national provisional qualifier in both the men's 5,000 and 10,000 meters.

To qualify for Division II All-Academic honors, a student-athlete must have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.25 and have met the NCAA II indoor or outdoor automatic or provisional qualifying standard in their respective event.