The John Brown University track and field program was rewarded for its efforts in the classroom as the Golden Eagles men's and women's squads were tabbed by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as 2020 All-Academic Team recipients, the organization recently unveiled.
A total of 57 NAIA women's and 43 men's NAIA teams earned the distinction as a result of earning a cumulative team GPA of 3.00 or higher. The JBU men's squad recorded a 3.44 cumulative GPA, third-best among all NAIA programs, while the women's team registered a 3.63 GPA -- placing them eighth among all NAIA women's programs.
Individually, sophomore Allika Pearson was the lone JBU representative on the 2020 All-Academic individual listing, after her strong 2020 indoor track and field showing this season.
To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, the student-athlete must have achieved a cumulative grade-point average of 3.25 and have achieved an "A" or "B" standard in an NAIA National Championship event, certifiable by their place on the NAIA descending order lists on TFRRS for Indoor Track and Field.
Pearson landed on the All-Academic team by virtue of not only her work in the classroom, but by unlocking the first "A" standard finish in the program's modern era when she posted a 17:58 in the 5,000m at the Missouri Southern State Invitational, beating the "A" standard by a whopping 20 seconds.
In all, a total of 193 women and 134 men earned USTFCCCA All-Academic individual honors for their combined academic and athletic accomplishments during the 2020 campaign.