July 11, 2008

New Orleans, La. - The United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association announced its Division II Women's All-Academic Track and Field Team on July 10. Grand Valley State University placed 11 student-athletes on the team. To qualify for the team, a 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 her respective event.

One senior earned the honor for Grand Valley State. Susie Rivard qualified for nationals with a time of 4:38.60 in the 1500-meter run, hitting the provisionally qualifying mark.

The junior class put the most representatives on the team. Four juniors, Mary Bogner, Kelly Gibbons, Dianna Noonan and Heather VanderSlik, were all named to the team. Bogner was a three-time All-American this year. She earned the honors by finishing fourth in the indoor weight throw, fifth in the outdoor javelin and eighth in the outdoor discus. Gibbons was a two-time All-American, with an individual eighth-place finish in the outdoor 1500-meter and as a member of the fifth-place indoor distance medley relay team. Noonan earned All-American status in the pole vault in both seasons, with a second-place finish in the outdoor event. VanderSlik qualified in the outdoor high jump and finished in ninth place.

There were six underclassmen representing GVSU on the team, three sophomores and three freshmen. In the sophomore class, Katie Alfredson, Maegan Doyen and Kirsten Nozime were all named to the team. Alfredson was a member of the indoor distance medley relay team that finished fifth, while Maegan Doyen was GVSU's sole female national champion this season, taking first place in the indoor high jump. Nozime finished sixth at the GLIAC Indoor Championships in the 400 with a time of 59.34.

From the freshman class, Kelly Crowley, Amy Kolin and Megan Maceratini all met the qualifications for the team. Crowley took first place in the 400 at the Bob Eubanks Open with a time of 59.33. Kolin's time of 10:06.12 in the 3000-meter qualified her for the outdoor nationals. Maceratini also went to nationals, qualifying with a time of 17:20.73 in the 5k.