Bradley University Athletics

Four Braves Earn Cross Country Academic Awards

Cross Country 2/14/2019 3:08:00 PM

A school-record four members of the Bradley cross country teams were honored for their work off the course on Thursday, earning selection to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Teams following the fall season.

Senior Michael Ward and juniors Jake Hoffert and Luke Hoffert all collected the accolade for the Bradley men's team, while junior Gabby Juarez was the first Bradley women to receive the honor since 2015.

In order to qualify for All-Academic honors, student-athletes must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.25 and finish in the top 25 (or 10 percent) at the NCAA Regional meet.

The trio of BU men helped the Braves earn the program's first-ever bid to the NCAA Championship this fall as Bradley placed second at the NCAA Midwest Regional and earned the automatic bid to the national meet.

Jake Hoffert became just the second Brave – man or woman – to earn the honor for the third time in his career – joining Bradley Hall of Famer Mary Ellen Hill, who accomplished the feat from 1997 to 1999. The 2017 Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Male Athlete of the Year, Hoffert placed ninth at the conference meet this season and 18th at the regional meet. He maintains a 3.72 grade point average, while majoring in manufacturing engineering.

Ward was also named to the All-Academic Team for the second time during his career – earning the honor in 2016. The senior wrapped up his cross country career by leading the Braves at both the MVC and NCAA Championships – placing second and 106th, respectively, while collecting a 23rd-place finish at the regional meet. He is currently pursuing his master's in business administration with a 4.00 GPA.

Luke Hoffert led the Braves at the Midwest Regional by placing 12th in his first running of the event to earn the academic honor for the first time. The junior also received honorable mention to the All-Missouri Valley Conference Team in 2018 after placing 11th as Bradley won its fourth-straight conference title. Hoffert, who is majoring in manufacturing engineering, owns a 3.75 GPA at Bradley.

Juarez joined the three Bradley men on the list of honorees, posting a 3.76 grade point average in family and consumer science dietetics, while placing 15th at the NCAA Midwest Regional. Juarez also finished third at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship as Bradley won its second-straight title and fourth in the last five years. Following the championship meet, she was honored as the conference's Elite 17 Award winner for owning the top GPA by an all-conference honoree.

Both the men's and women's programs were also recognized as a team. The Bradley men own a team GPA of 3.47 – ranking 32nd in the country – while the BU women have a 3.50 grade point average.

The academic accolades cap another record season for the Braves as both teams claimed the Missouri Valley Conference Championship. The men won their fourth-straight title, while also earning the program's first NCAA Championship bid, with the women taking home title honors for the fourth time in five seasons.

Print Friendly Version