Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. - Kristen Callan has been named the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference Outdoor Women's Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and eight other Hokies received All-ACC Academic Team selections commissioner John D. Swofford announced.
This is Callan's second time on the conference's all-academic list. The Monroe, N.Y., native is a three-time NCAA All-American in the hammer throw and also earned All-America honors in the indoor weight throw in 2007.
"This is a great honor for Kristen and our program," Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Dave Cianelli said. "To be selected as the top academic student for the year in the ACC for women's track and field is an incredible achievement."
Sprinters Sherlenia Green, an ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America honoree, rising junior Kristi Castlin and Britini Spruill, as well as middle-distance runner Asia Washington return to the All-ACC academic squad after earning the academic honor in 2007. All four were NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship qualifiers.
Shakirra Pinnock, Kelly Phillips and Erin Mahony, all were first-time All-ACC academic selections. Phillips and Mahony were pole vault champions in the indoor and outdoor seasons respectively, while Pinnock was a member of the indoor and outdoor 4x400-meter relay ACC title squad.
Representing the men's track and field squad was thrower Matej Muza. Muza, a geography major, is a two-time all-American in the hammer throw. The Zagreb, Croatia native, along with Green, Phillips, Spruill and Washington from the women's squad also received all-academic honors from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
The Tech women led the conference with eight selections, followed by Boston College with six. Florida State posted eight athletes on the team to lead the ACC on the men's squad.
2008 ACC Women's Track and Field All-Academic team honorees
Kristen Callan, Redshirt Senior, Education
Kristi Castlin, Sophomore, Political Science
Sherlenia Green, Senior, Education
Erin Mahony, Redshirt Senior, Industrial and Systems Engineering
Kelly Phillips, Redshirt Freshman, Biology
Shakirra Pinnock, Junior, Communications
Britni Spruill, Senior, Human nutrition, Foods and Exercise
Asia Washington, Sophomore, Business
2008 ACC Men's Track and Field All-Academic team honorees
Matej Muza, Junior, Geography