Student-Athlete Standout Rupp Named Academic All-American of the Year
EUGENE, Ore. -- Galen Rupp has earned a distinction very few Oregon student-athletes have ever attained.
In fact, the exclusive club he joined on Friday doubled in size from one to two.
The senior from Portland, Ore., has been named the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American of the Year for Men’s Track and Field/Cross Country, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). He is now one of 12 finalists from all NCAA men’s and women’s sports who advance to the ballot for the national Division I Academic All-American of the Year.
Rupp becomes just the second student-athlete in University of Oregon history to earn the distinction of being selected as his sport’s top national academic and athletic performer. He joins quarterback Bill Musgrave, who was the national Academic All-American of the Year for football in 1990.
Rupp, who carries a 3.89 grade point average in business administration, won an unprecedented six NCAA distance titles during the 2008-09 academic year. The 2008 Olympian amassed a school-record 14 All-America awards during his brilliant career.
Last week in Fayetteville, Ark., he won the 5,000 and 10,000 meter titles at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He became the first competitor to win both races in nine years, and the first to ever do it after the NCAA adopted a preliminary round for the 5,000. His 20 points led Oregon to a tie for second place as the Ducks earned their highest finish in 25 years.
Rupp, who will run in next week’s USA Track and Field Championships at Historic Hayward Field, began the academic year by winning all three cross country races he appeared in: the Pacific-10 Championships, the NCAA West Regional and the 2008 NCAA Championships, where he won his first individual cross country title in Terre Haute, Ind., to lead Oregon to its second straight NCAA team title.
During the 2009 indoor season, Rupp became the first student-athlete in school history to win the 3,000 meters, the 5,000 meters and the distance medley relay at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. His performance led Oregon to its first NCAA indoor title.
It was also during the indoor season that Rupp set the American indoor record at 5,000 meters when he ran 13:18.12 Feb. 13 at Fayetteville.
Outdoors, Rupp was also the Pac-10 champion at 10,000 meters and the runner-up at 1,500 meters prior to his sweep at the NCAA Championships.
Friday’s announcement also marked the third career All-Academic first team selection for Rupp, who was also recognized in 2006 and 2007. He becomes just the second Duck to earn three first team distinctions, joining women’s track standout Kathy Hayes, a first-team selection in 1983, ’84 and ’85.
Rupp’s competition for the Division I Academic All-American of the year includes Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Tim Tebow of Florida, two-time women’s volleyball NCAA champion Christa Harmotto of Penn State, women’s soccer national champion Yael Averbuch of North Carolina and four-time NCAA women’s lacrosse champion Hilary Bowen of Northwestern.
Other finalists include Amber Guffey, Murray State women’s basketball, Lisa Koll, Iowa State women’s track, Michael Leake, Arizona State baseball, Jeff Lerg, Michigan State men’s hockey, Stacey Nelson, Florida softball, Zack Simmons, Massachusetts men’s soccer and Brett Winkleman, North Dakota State men’s basketball. The 2009 winner will be announed next month.
Also on Friday, Oregon’s Nicole Blood became a two-time Academic All-American as she was named to the national women’s track and field/cross country second team. Blood was a third team selection a year ago.
The junior from Saratoga Springs, N.Y., holds a 3.48 gpa in journalism and finished second in the 5,000 meters at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships to help lead Oregon to a second place finish, which was the Ducks best showing in 24 years.
Blood was a five-time All-American during the 2008-09 season. She finished 10th at the 2008 NCAA Cross Country Championships and garnered three honors at the 2009 NCAA Indoor meet -- sixth place at 3,000 meters, 13th place in the mile and sixth place in the distance medley relay -- before her run at the outdoor meet.
To be eligible for Academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.
Since the program’s inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.
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