July 14, 2008

Garden City, N.Y. - Adelphi University freshman Danielle Lyons (South Glastonbury, CT) has been named a Division II Track and Field All-Academic selection as announced by the United States Track and Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). In addition the women's track and field team was named a USTFCCCA All-Academic team selection, posting a team GPA of 3.363.

Lyons, a four-time Collegiate Track Conference (CTC) champion as a freshman and a three-time ECAC Track and Field Athlete of the Week, qualified for the NCAA Indoor National Championship meet in the 800 with a time of 2:15.85. She also qualified for the NCAA Outdoor National Championship meet in the 800 with a time of 2:14.47. Her times placed her 25th on the final indoor performance list and 27th on the outdoor list. A nursing major, Lyons also excelled in the classroom, posting a GPA of 3.967.

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 met the NCAA Division II Indoor or Outdoor automatic or provisional qualifying standard in their respective event.

As a team the Panthers GPA of 3.363 placed them 17th in the nation out of 58 programs with a team GPA of 3.0 or higher. The University of Tampa recorded the highest overall team GPA with a 3.670, followed by Minnesota State which carried a 3.650 team GPA. Seattle Pacific, which had the second highest team GPA in 2007, boasts a 3.540 GPA this season.

A total of 58 Division II women's track and field programs were recognized as 2008 USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Teams. Eighteen of those 58 schools came from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (nine) and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (nine).