By: By: Bill Morgal, Sports Information Director
USTFCCCA Official Release
NEW ORLEANS – Junior women's cross country athlete
Neely Spence was named the 2010 Division II Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Wednesday afternoon by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Spence is a human communications studies major seeking a minor in coaching who has compiled a 3.84 grade-point average through five semesters at Shippensburg.
In her third collegiate cross country season, Spence, the 2010 USTFCCCA Division II Cross Country Female Athlete of the Year, became the first women's cross country national champion in school history and earned the second All-American award of her career. Her time of 20:41.2 at the 2010 Division II National Championships in Louisville was 15 seconds faster than Western Washington's Sarah Porter.
Spence is one of five athletes that was designated with Division II All-Academic Cross Country status by the USTFCCCA. Joining Spence are Shippensburg teammates
Mary Dell,
Emily Dubs,
Abby Huber and
Katie Spratford.
On Friday, Shippensburg was designated as a 2010 Division II All-Academic Cross Country squad for compiling a 3.40 grade-point average.
A total of 107 institutions represent 22 conferences that compose the group. The PSAC led all conferences with 14 members earning All-Academic honors and was followed by the GLIAC which had 10 listed.
