Feb. 26, 2008

BEAUMONT - Lamar University cross country standouts Clerc Koenck and Samuel Kosgei were named to the 2007 U.S. Track And Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, Cross Country All-Academic Team.

Koenck, a native of Anacoco, La. and Kosgei, a native of Kapchorwa, Uganda are the only two athletes from the Southland Conference to be named to the USTFCCCA cross country All-Academic Team.

Koenck, who won her second straight Southland Conference cross country championship this past season, earned her second all-academic award from the USTFCCCA after being named to the 2007 All-Academic Track and Field Team. Along with the SLC championship, she completed her cross country career last fall with a fourth place finish at the South Central Regional meet and a Lamar University-best 114th place finish at the NCAA championship meet.

A total of 91 female student-athletes representing 62 Division I institutions were named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic team.

This is the first academic honor for Kosgei, who has a pair of top-four finishes in the Southland Conference championship meet to his credit. He notched a 15th place finish at the 2007 South Central Regional after grabbing fourth place as a sophomore in 2006.

A total of 56 male student-athletes representing 38 Division I institutions were named to the 2007 USTFCCCA All-Academic team.

The award honors those student-athletes who have succeeded both academically and athletically. To be eligible for the award a student-athlete must carry a minimum 3.25 cumulative grade point average and have completed a minimum 24 semester hours through the 2007 fall term. Additionally, the student-athlete must finish in the top 15 runners or top ten percent of finishers at their respective NCAA regional meet, or receive All-American honors.