Seven Huskies named by USTFCCCA to 2009 All-Academic team...

Seven University of Washington track athletes were honored this week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for their performances in the classroom as well as in competition, as the Association announced its 2009 All-Academic team spanning the indoor and outdoor seasons.

To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and have met either the NCAA Division I Indoor automatic or provisional qualifying standard or the NCAA Division I Outdoor regional or national qualifying standard in their respective event.

Washington had three All-Americans this season that also carried 3.25 GPAs. Sophomore Scott Roth (pole vault), freshman Jeremy Taiwo (multis), and freshman Christine Babcock (mid-distances) all pulled off the impressive double. Roth was the NCAA runner-up in the pole vault, while Taiwo broke the school's heptathlon record indoors and was 12th at NCAA's. Babcock was an All-American on the women's distance medley relay and an NCAA finalist outdoors in the 1,500m.

Pole vaulters Ryan Vu and Lara Jones were also honored. Vu, a junior, was ranked in the Top-20 outdoors and was one of three Huskies to clear 17-6 this year. Jones made the NCAA provisional mark indoors and competed at Regionals outdoors in her one and only year at UW after transferring from Duke.

Also making the team were women's distance runners Allison Linnell and Kenna Patrick. Linnell made Regionals as just a freshman and ran the sixth-fastest steeplechase in school history, while Patrick was a Regional 5k qualifier who posted the ninth-best mark all-time at UW.

2009 USTFCCCA DIVISION I ALL-ACADEMIC TRACK & FIELD TEAM (UW Only)

Men:
Scott Roth, So.
Jeremy Taiwo, Fr.
Ryan Vu, Jr.

Women:
Christine Babcock, Fr.
Lara Jones, Sr.
Allison Linnell, Fr.
Kenna Patrick, So

NOTE: The USTFCCCA & the University of Washington sports information office contributed to this report.