UMKC's Ayabei and SUU's Medina-Mitchell Named USTFCCCA All-Academic
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Two Summit League cross country runners, UMKC's Cosmas Ayabei and Southern Utah's Diana Medina-Mitchell were named U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division I Cross Country All-Academic honorees.
Ayabei, a 2011 USTFCCCA All-Region honoree, the 2011 Summit League Men's runner-up and a first team all-league member, became the first UMKC runner to qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships, as he posted a 56th-place finish and 10k time of 30:26.3, 14 seconds shy of earning an All-American selection at the 2011 championships. He was the second-best finisher for The Summit League men at the Midwest Region Championship with a seventh-place (31:23.46) finish and was the top finisher for UMKC in every meet in 2011, including two first-place finishes to open the season at the J.K Gold Classic and the Oral Roberts Invitational.
Medina-Mitchell, a 2011 USTFCCCA All-Region selection, the 2011 Summit League Women's Cross Country Champion, Championship MVP and a first team all-league honoree, recorded the fastest 5k (17:10.87) and 6k (20:20.2) league times this season. She recorded a league-best 10th-place finish on the women's side at the NCAA Mountain Region Championship with a 6k time of 21:16.0. During the regular season, Medina-Mitchell was SUU's top finisher in four races, including two top-three finishes and garnered a league-high three Athlete of the Week honors.
To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and have either earned USTFCCCA All-America status or finished in the NCAA region's top 15 (or top 10 percent) in 2011.
