NEW ORLEANS – The Millsaps women's track and field program was rewarded for the third consecutive year for their hard work and dedication in the classroom as an NCAA Division III All-Academic Team, released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) following the 2024 season on Monday.
Upon completion of the 2023-24 academic year, the women's team boasted a 3.32 cumulative GPA while breaking school records on the track.
Sophomore Eleanor Scott set the school triple jump record with a leap of 11.48 meters at the 2024 SAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship.
Junior Natalie Burke appeared in all six outdoor meets during the 2024 season for the women's team. The Vicksburg, Miss., native would finish fourth in the long jump at the Rhodes 7 Way Meet (4.67m) and fifth at the 2024 Mississippi College Spring Cleaning Classic (5.08m).
During the 2024 spring semester, Burke held a 3.94 cumulative GPA while majoring in Business Administration with a minor in Political Science and Economics.
Classmate Sarah Strickland from Spanish Fort, Ala., would add her name in the Millsaps track and field record book after clocking 5 minutes, 44.04 seconds in the mile at the Rhodes College Invitational, becoming the second-fastest runner in program history.
Junior Fran Edwards had a solid season as well after becoming the fourth-fastest individual in program history in the 10,000 in 42.38.13 in the same meet. The Litte Rock, Ark., native, like Burke was acknowledged on the 2024 Spring SAA Academic Honor Roll, the 2023-24 CSC Academic All-District® Women's Track and Field/Cross Country Team and 2024 President's List.
In addition, freshman Fiona Selders' and sophomore Ashanti Lastrapes' names would appear fourth on the all-time list in the women's 100 meters with identically impressive times of 12.85 seconds.
On March 2, Lastrapes, Burke and Selders would also become the all-time leaders for Millsaps College in the 4x100-meter relay after finishing third in 50.1 seconds at the Mississippi College Spring Cleaning Classic.
Here is the criteria for a team to be named an NCAA Division III All-Academic Team:
- Cumulative team GPA (not 2023-24 academic year, not semester) of all student-athletes who used a season of eligibility must be at least a 3.1 on a 4.0 scale through the most recent semester/quarter, computed by the following method:
- Total the cumulative number of semester hours or quarter hours earned for all student-athletes who used a season of eligibility, including the most recent grading period;
- Total the cumulative number of quality points (GPA multiplied by the number of credit hours) earned by all student-athletes who used a season of eligibility, including the most recent grading period;
- Divide the cumulative number of quality points earned by the cumulative number of semester or quarter hours earned.
- Institutions utilizing a different GPA scale than 4.0 then must convert the GPA to a 4.0 scale using the standard conversion method [GPA/Scale x 4.0]. Data must be certifiable by the institution's registrar.
- Graduate students must take all undergraduate plus graduate coursework into account.
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