The United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Thursday its 2006 NCAA Division-I All-Academic Teams. Missouri State University once again made the associations list of honorees. With an average cumulative GPA of 3.617, MSU ranks seventh among the amazing total of 145 teams that received Division I Women’s All-Academic Cross Country Team honors for the 2006 season.

Missouri State led a group of six Missouri Valley Conference teams that earned the academic honor. Southern Illinois University ranked 30th nationally with Indiana State University (50th), Bradley University (71st), Drake University (75th), and Evansville University (107th).

To be honored as an All-Academic Team, teams were required to compete in an NCAA regional meet and have at least a cumulative GPA of 3.0. In addition, only those athletes who competed during the 2006 season and used a season of eligibility can be used in the team’s average.

In 2006 Missouri State placed third at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship in cross country and ninth at the Midwest Region meet; its sixth straight top ten finish at the regional championship.

The Bears will compete Friday, Feb. 23 and Saturday, Feb. 24, in the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship at the SIU Recreation Center in Carbondale, Ill.

USTFCCCA All-Academic Teams (Top 30)

1 Brigham Young University 3.730
2 Belmont University 3.710
3 Indiana University 3.690
4 Oklahoma State University 3.660
5 West Virginia University 3.650
6 Brown University 3.629
7 Missouri State University 3.617
8 South Dakota State University 3.613
9 DePaul University 3.605
10 Valparaiso University 3.587
11 Central Michigan University 3.579
12 Vermont, University of 3.571
13 Utah, University of 3.566
14 South Carolina, University of 3.560
15 Notre Dame, University of 3.554
16 Tulsa, University of 3.550
17 Utah State University 3.540
18 Sacred Heart University 3.527
19 Pittsburgh, University of 3.520
20 Georgia Institute of Technology 3.510
21 Yale University 3.510
22 Bowling Green State University 3.500
23 Coastal Carolina University 3.499
24 Florida, University of 3.495
25 Purdue University 3.490
26 Baylor University 3.487
27 Tennessee Chattanooga, University of 3.486
28 Missouri, University of 3.480
29 Oregon State University 3.480
30 Southern Illinois, University of 3.480

Other Missouri Valley Conference Schools:
50 Indiana State University 3.410
71 Bradley University 3.330
75 Drake University 3.320
107 Evansville University 3.220