Four Track and Field Student-Athletes named to Academic All-District Teams

Utah State [University] men and women's track and field teams had four student-athletes named to the 2010-11 Capital One Academic All-District VIII first and second-teams. The honor was announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Thursday [June 2].

Senior Steven Atkinson and junior Daniel Howell were placed on the first-team, while sophomore Eric Follett and junior Katelyn Heiner garnered second-team accolades.

This is the second-straight year the Aggies have four athletes named to the academic all-district teams. Howell, Steve Strickland, Erin Stratton and DeWayne Hansen were honored in 2010.

Atkinson, a native of Malad, Idaho, qualified with a 3.92 GPA while majoring in entreprenuership. He earned first-team all-WAC honors in 2009 and 2011 in the 3,000m steeplechase, finishing third each time. He was also a second-team all-WAC honoree in 2009 during the outdoor season in the 5,000m and during the cross country season. Atkinson has earned academic all-WAC honors a total of five times during his collegiate career.

Howell, a Manti, Utah, native has a GPA of 3.95 in the wildlife sciences. He is an eight-time first-team all-WAC honoree during his cross country and track career as he won the 3,000m steeplechase at the 2011 Indoor Championships and placed second in the 5,000m. During the 2011 Outdoor Championships, he placed second in the 3,000m steeplechase and third in the 5,000m along with earning first-team all-WAC honors twice in 2010 by placing second in the 3,000m (indoor) and third in the 5,000m (outdoor) and being a two-time first-team all-WAC recipient in cross country. He also earned second-team all-WAC honors three times overall and academic all-WAC honors five times along with being a 2010 CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree.

Follett, a native of Idaho Falls, Idaho, is majoring in Spanish and has a GPA of 3.92. Follett earned first-team all-WAC honors during the 2011 indoor and outdoor seasons, placing third in the high jump each time. He also earned second-team all-WAC honors during the 2010 outdoor season as he finished sixth in the high jump along with garnering academic all-WAC honors in 2010.

Heiner, an Ogden, Utah, native has a 3.97 GPA while majoring in interdisciplinary studies. She is a four-time first-team all-WAC recipient including twice during the 2011 indoor season as she finished second in the 400m and third on the 4X400 relay team. She also earned second-team all-WAC honors seven times during her career along with four academic all-WAC accolades.

The Academic All-District® teams are divided into eight geographic districts across the United States and Canada. First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the Capital One Academic All-America® Team ballot, where first-, second- and third-team All-America honorees will be selected later this month.

Fans can follow Utah State Athletics, including USU track and field, at Twitter or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.

Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics website.

Contact: Travis Hansen, USU Athletic Media Relations, Track & Field/Cross Country, (435) 797-8584, travishansen9@gmail.com, travis.hansen@aggiemail.usu.edu