FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu October 25, 2016 McKay leads 4 Yellowjackets named GNAC all-academic MSUB Cross Country on Facebook | MSUB Cross Country on ISSUU | GNAC Release
Junior Liam McKay leads a group of four men’s cross country student-athletes named to the GNAC all-academic list.
Liam McKay leads a group of four MSUB men’s cross country student-athletes being named GNAC all-academic honorees. PORTLAND, Ore. – Four MSUB men’s cross country student-athletes were named to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference all-academic team announced Tuesday. Junior Liam McKay was the top honoree for the Yellowjackets. Majoring in chemistry, the native of Surrey, B.C., holds a cumulative grade point average of 3.56 at MSU Billings. Also a junior, Jorey Egeland was named to the all-academic team with a cumulative grade point average of 3.37 in biology. A graduate of Billings Senior High School, Egeland placed second for the Yellowjackets last week at the GNAC championships. Egeland covered the 8K course at Lake Padden Park in 25:59.00 for 18th place, improving his finish from 2015 by 20 spots.
Sophomore Ivan Colmenero earned a spot on the all-academic team with a cumulative grade point average of 3.31 majoring in criminal justice. From Manhattan, Mont., Colmenero competed at the GNAC championships last week, completing the course in 27:38.60. Senior Josh Panasuk earned a place on the academic all-conference team with a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 in outdoor adventure leadership. Panasuk, from Butte, Mont., was third for the Yellowjackets last week at the GNAC championships, finishing the course 40th with a time of 26:36.20. “It’s great to see so many of our student-athletes on the GNAC academic team,” MSUB head coach Dave Coppock said. “They all work very hard both in practice and on their classes and I know how hard it is to juggle studying and tests with practice and competition.” A total of 43 conference runners make the men’s all-academic team, led by four student-athletes with a 4.00 GPA or better. Simon Fraser’s Lorenzo Smith earned his third selection and led the list with a 4.17 GPA as a biomedical physiology major on the Canadian system that awards 4.33 grade points for an A-plus. Alaska’s Michael Ferhrenbach has a 4.00 GPA as a mechanical engineering major and Lyon Kopsack has a 4.00 GPA as a civil engineering major. Northwest Nazarene’s Isaac Mitchell has a 4.00 GPA as a biology major with a pre-medicine emphasis. To be eligible for the GNAC all-academic honor, student-athletes must be in at least their second year of competition at their current school and hold a grade point average of 3.20 or higher. The Yellowjackets have one more event this season. MSU Billings will host the 2016 NCAA Division II west region championships on Nov. 5. The event returns to Billings after MSUB hosted the 2014 meet as competitors will race on the course at Amend Park. The men's 8K race begins the meet at 10:00 a.m., with the women’s 6K following at 11:15 a.m. For complete details on the championships, please visit www.msubsports.com. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--