Lynchburg, Shenandoah, Washington and Lee also Earn Team and Individual Honors

NEW ORLEANS, La. --- The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced its men's and women's scholar athlete and team awards last week with several representatives from the ODAC earning end of the year distinctions.  Bridgewater College highlights the conference's honorees as the Eagles topped the women's team grade point average rankings amongst 111 programs reaching the standard minimum.

Bridgewater posted a combined indoor and outdoor women's team grade point average of 3.63, far surpassing the 3.10 minimum needed for men's and women's teams to qualify for the award.  Washington and Lee University's men's and women's squads and Shenandoah University's women also earned scholar team awards.  The Generals' women boasted a 3.37 GPA while the men maintained a 3.25 GPA amongst 64 qualifying programs.  SU, a new addition to the ODAC track & field contingent in 2011-12 (as well as field hockey; full conference member beginning in 2012-13), posted a 3.22 GPA.

Click HERE for the men's team release from the USTFCCCA.

Click HERE for the women's team release from the USTFCCCA.

The criteria for eligibility for individual awards includes slightly different standards in that student-athletes must have maintained a 3.30 cumulative grade point average and must have met or exceeded an NCAA Division III provisional or automatic qualifying mark during the 2010-11 indoor and/or outdoor track seasons.  The men's contingent consisted of 200 student-athletes from 72 institutions, but the ODAC did not have a representative.

The conference did have a pair of honorees amongst the 328 women's student-athletes representing 102 different schools.  Bridgewater pole vaulter Christina Rhodes and Lynchburg College thrower Ashley Allen were amongst the women's ranks.

Rhodes, winner of each of the first two NCAA Elite 88 Awards*as well as the ODAC's Marge Berkley Award**, provisionally qualified for the indoor and outdoor national championships in pole vault.  Rhodes, who also won the ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Award for outdoor track, won All-America honors in the pole vault at the 2010 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships.  

Allen also collected a 2010-11 ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Award, earning her honor following the indoor campaign.  She secured her position in the USTFCCCA ranks with a provisional qualifying mark in the outdoor hammer throw.

Neither athlete's grade point average is available at this time.

Click HERE for the men's individual release from the USTFCCCA.

Click HERE for the women's individual release from the USTFCCCA.

For more information, visit any of the links to USTFCCCA releases in this article.  You can also visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.

* The NCAA Elite 88 Award is awarded to the student-athlete with the highest grade point average competing at each of the NCAA's 88 national championship events.

** The Marjorie Berkley Award is awarded to the ODAC's top female scholar-athete in a vote of the league's Board of Directors.  In conjunction with the Harry G. "Doc" Jopson Award, the honor is considered the highest individual award bestowed in the ODAC.