NEW ORLEANS – Both the men's and women's track teams for the University of South Alabama were awarded 2015 All-Academic Team honors by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The men's team had an overall grade point average of 3.12, while the women's side posted a GPA of 3.32.  In order to be named a USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, all members together must have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher.

Along with the team accolades, three juniors from the men's squad – Christoph Graf, Patrick Rohr and Jan-Louw Kotze – and sophomore Kaitlyn Beans from the women's team won all-academic individual awards.  Student-athletes must compile a GPA of 3.25 or above and meet at least one out of two requirements listed on the USTFCCCA website.    

Graf led the men's cross country team to win the Sun Belt Conference Championship title last fall, and also claimed the Most Outstanding Performer award at the meet.  During the outdoor season, Graf qualified for the 5,000-meter competition in the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round held in Jacksonville, Fla., with a time of 14:50.15.

Rohr ran his best 5,000-meter time for the outdoor season of 14:4626 at the SBC Track and Field Championships, and qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary Round in the 3,000-meter steeple chase.  His final mark of 8:57.68 in the event was under two seconds shy of his season personal best (8:55.79) recorded at the Mt. Sac Relays earlier in April of this year.

After posting a discus throw of 59.72m at the SBC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Kotze also earned a spot in the NCAA East Preliminary Round where he threw 58.83m.  The previous mark was enough to allow the junior to compete at the NCAA Div. I Outdoor Track and Field Championships held in Eugene, Ore., where he threw 54.96m and placed 20th overall.

Beans also made an appearance at the NCAA Track and Field Championships competing in the triple jump. Beans' triple jump distance of 1.64m at the SBC Outdoor Championships advanced her to the NCAA East Preliminary Round where the mark of 12.78m – her best of the season.  That mark was enough to qualify her for nationals and at the NCAA Championships, held at the historic Hayward Field, Beans placed 17th out of 23 participants with a mark of 12.58m.

A total of 529 men from 165 colleges, and 838 women from 207 institutions were awarded USTFCCCA All-Academic honors, while 123 men's teams and 224 women's teams were recognized for their academic distinction.          

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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