Six Panthers Named Capital One Academic All-District
By Florida Tech // May 31, 2014
HONORS ATHLETES BASED ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
Men’s and Women’s Track & Field and Cross Country — The Florida Tech Panthers took home more academic accolades Thursday, as the Capital One Academic All-District Teams were announced for track & field and cross country athletes.
Six Panthers earned the academic honor for NCAA Division II District 5. The Capital One Academic All-District Teams are voted on by sports information directors in each district. NCAA Division II District 5 is made up of athletes from the Gulf South Conference, the Sunshine State Conference, and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
On the men’s side, Jordan Halleib, Justin McMaster, and Daniel Schultz earned Academic All-District honors. All three athletes competed in both track & field and cross country.
JORDAN HALLEIB, a native of Auburn, California, ran a season best 8k for cross country at the Mountain Dew Invitational. The sophomore finished the course in a time of 28:11.35.
On the track, Halleib competed in distance events, and had a season best finish of fifth in the 5,000 meters at the Walt Disney World Track & Field Open. He finished the race with a time of 16:11.59. The business administration major carried a 3.75 GPA, and was a member of the SSC Fall Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
DANIEL SCHULTZ, a native of Orlando, Florida, recorded his best time of the season for cross country at the Florida State Invitational. The sophomore completed the event with a time of 27:13.42. Schultz compiled five top 10 finishes for the Panthers on the track.
The mechanical engineering major has carried a 4.0 GPA, and earned All-Academic honors from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. He also was named SSC Commissioner’s Fall Honor Roll, and was named one of FIT’s Male Scholar Athletes of the Year.
JUSTIN McMASTER completed his third year of eligibility with a 3.72 GPA in his aeronautical science with flight major. He recorded five top 25 finishes during the cross country season. As a member of the track & field squad, McMaster recorded six top five finishes.
He set the program record in the 5,000 meters with a time of 15:07.99 at the Pepsi Florida Relays. In addition to being a USTFCCCA All-Academic recipient, McMaster was also named USTFCCCA All-Region in the 5,000 meters. The Horseheads, New York native was named to the SSC Commissioner’s Fall Honor Roll. He graduated in three years earlier this month and will return as a graduate student this fall.
On the women’s side, Kristin Howe, Alyson Vezina, and Ashley Vezina were awarded All-Academic honors for their track & field performances. All three women are also a part of the Florida Tech women’s soccer team.
KRISTIN HOWE, a chemical engineering major, carried a 3.98 GPA and was on the SSC Commissioner’s Fall Honor Roll.
The Edgewater, Maryland native recorded a season best eighth place finish in the 400 meters at the Walt Disney World Track & Field Open with a time of 1:08.11.
ALYSON VEZINA carried a 4.0 GPA in molecular biology. Ashley Vezina recorded a 4.0 in chemical engineering, and was an Academic All-District selection for women’s soccer in the fall.
Natives of Oviedo, Florida, the Vezina sisters competed in sprint events on the track, and were members of the 4×100 meter relay team that set a program record of 53.41 seconds at the Walt Disney World Track & Field Open.
ASHLEY VEZINA also set a program record in the 60 meter dash at the Embry-Riddle Last Chance Invitational with a time of 8.59 seconds.
In addition to being on the SSC Commissioner’s Fall Honor Roll, both Ashley and Alyson were FIT’s Female Scholar Athletes of the Year.
Academic All-District selections are now eligible to be named to the Capital One Academic All-American Teams. The Capital One Academic All-American Teams will be announced for NCAA Division II on Wednesday, June 25.
