New Orleans, LA --- For the third consecutive year, the Worcester State women's cross country team has been recognized for its academic excellence this past semester by the US Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).  

The Lancers maintained a cumulative 3.30 grade point average through this past semester and joined UMass Dartmouth (3.19) as the only institutions in the New England Alliance recognized.

212 women's cross country programs in the NCAA Division III were honored by the USTFCCCA for sporting cumulative team GPAs above 3.10 while having at least five different student-athletes competing in five different meets during their fall season of play.

Out of 22 programs regionally, the Blue and Gold were one of 18 in New England to hold a 3.30 grade point average or higher. The women's cross country team also sported a 3.36 GPA to lead the entire Worcester State athletics department and its 19 varsity programs.  

Earlier this month eight of 11 student-athletes were named to the MASCAC All-Academic team for their outstanding efforts in the classroom. To be named to the squad, a student-athlete must have achieved a 3.20 cumulative or semester-based grade point average during their semester of completion.

Those student-athletes on the conferences academic honor roll included senior Maggie Ingraham (Danvers, MA), junior Amy Defrancesco (Tewksbury, MA), sophomore teammates Katherine Becker (Haverhill, MA), Danielle Cote (Dighton, MA), Melanie Hunter (Maynard, MA), freshman Sara McIsaac (Weymouth, MA) and first-year teammate Jaime Sullivan (Hubbardston, MA/Quabbin).

Ingraham earned her third MASCAC all-academic certificate while Becker, Defrancesco and Peso are repeat selections.

Under the direction of third-year head coach Gary Juesseaume, the Lancers in the top 10 in six out of eight meets, which included a runner-up finish at the Worcester City Meet and fourth overall at the MASCAC Championships.

Among institutions in the MASCAC, Worcester State had 99 overall student-athletes on the league fall academic honor roll for the third highest total in the conference. The total number of WSU honorees also marked the highest since the league began listing its all-academic honor roll on a season-by-season basis during the 2009-10 academic year.

USTFCCCA Division III Men's & Women's Cross Country Academic Team Release

2014 Worcester State MASCAC Fall All-Academic Team Honorees

2014 MASCAC Fall All-Academic Team

Pictured Below: The women's cross country team recognized at the halftime of the men's basketball game on February 11 for having the highest Fall grade point average in the WSU athletics department