Pagan Highlights Cross Country Academic Honors
GSC and USTFCCCA Academic Honors for UWF’s Top Finisher at NCAA Regionals
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Redshirt Freshman Eddie Pagan (Stuart, Fla./South Fork HS) of the West Florida men’s cross country team was named to the Division II Cross Country All-Academic team on Friday, announced by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA). The honor is based on a minimum nomination requirement of a 3.25 GPA and either a top 50 finish in the national championship race or top 30 finish in the regional championships.
Pagan was the Argos’ top finisher in the NCAA South Regional meet with a 16th place finish. The Athletic Training major also carries a 3.49 GPA.
Pagan was also named to the Gulf South Conference All-Academic Team just a few weeks ago. Academic All-GSC Teams are selected by the GSC Sports Information Directors (SIDs) and Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs) in a joint vote. Nominees must have an overall grade point average of 3.20 or better on a 4.00 scale for their entire academic career and may not be freshmen or first-semester or quarter transfers. The student-athlete must be a significant contributor to the squad. Other factors include leadership, community service and extra-curricular activities.
Pagan, a sophomore academically that redshirted in 2008 due to injury, was the top Argonaut finisher in both the GSC Championships and the NCAA South Regional meet this past fall. His 10th place finish at the GSC meet also earned him first team All-GSC honors. He finished the 8k event in 26:47, which was the top 8k time for an Argonaut this season. Pagan followed that performance with a 33:26 clocking in the NCAA regional 10k race, which also led the Argonauts. He also raced to a 27:07 time in the Gulf Coast Stampede 8k race earlier in the year.
Four Argonaut teammates were named to the GSC Academic Honor Roll: P.J. Orgass, Tyler Bowman, Dominique Sykes, and Tim Keebler. Qualifications for the honor roll is a 3.0 GPA, and competing in a minimum of two events during the season.
Sophomore Tyler Bowman (Pensacola, Fla./West Florida HS), a Computer Engineering major with a 3.5 GPA, ran in four races during the year, and was the top Argonaut finisher at the Azalea City Classic 5k, with a 17:36 time for the muddy 5k course. Bowman also turned in a personal best 27:38 at the Gulf Coast Stampede 8k race.
Sophomore P.J. Orgass (Spring Hill, Fla./Nature Coast Technical HS), an Athletic Training major with a 3.2 GPA, raced in seven races during the year, finishing in the top three for UWF in five of the events. He led the Argos at the Fleet Feet 8k at Huntsville, Ala., with a 27:41 performance for the 8k. His top time of the season came at the Gulf Coast Stampede, as he covered the course in 27:16.
Freshman Dominique Sykes (Orange Park, Fla./Orange Park HS), a Pre-Pharmacy major with a 3.18 GPA, raced in four races for UWF this past season. His top performance was a 28:23 at the Gulf Coast Stampede in Pensacola. He also had a 19th place finish in the Azalea City Classic 5k event.
Freshman Tim Keebler (Pace, Fla./Pace HS), an Athletic Training major with a 3.0 GPA, raced in two races for UWF this past season. The former Pace High School star turned in a top twenty finish at the Azalea City Classic with an 18:12 performance in the muddy 5k event.
The Argonauts finished fourth as a team in the GSC Championships, with Pagan earning first team honors, while sophomore Jared Black earned second team All-GSC. The team ended the season with a fifth place finish in the NCAA South Regional.
During the spring, the team will compete in track meets, with the first event slated for the FSU relays in Tallahassee on March 26th and 27th.
For information on all UWF Athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.
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