FMU runners named to PBC All-Academic Team
Two Francis Marion University cross country runners, junior Amanda Doyle and sophomore Ben Miller, have been named to the Peach Belt Conference's 2008 All-Academic Teams for women's and men's cross country.
This is the initial year for the PBC's All-Academic Teams, voted on and named at the end of each fall, winter, or spring season. To be eligible for the All-Academic program, a student-athlete must participate in at least half of the team's events and be either a starter or significant contributor; have achieved a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale), and have completed at least one full academic year at their current institution.
Doyle, a native of Laurens, S.C., owns a 3.81 grade point average while majoring in accounting.
She posted three Top-15 finishes during the past season and finished 41st at the PBC Meet and 89th at the NCAA Southeast Regional Meet. Her season-best time for 5,000-meters was 20:00 at the Limestone College Invitational Meet.
She is a member of Delta Sigma Pi professional fraternity and is president of FMU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). She earned a 2007-08 ADA Academic Achievement Award and has been named to the PBC Presidential Honor Roll and the FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll each of the past two years.
She helped lead the Patriot women to five Top-10 team finishes in seven meets.
Miller, a native of Chesnee, S.C., is a nursing major with a 3.72 grade point average.
He recorded three Top-20 finishes in seven meets in 2008, including a 39th-place finish at the Peach Belt Meet and a 94th-place showing at the NCAA regional championships. He posted a season-best time for 8,000-meters of 28:40 at the PBC Pre-Conference Meet in September.
Miller serves a resident assistant in FMU housing and is a member of Gamma Sigma Alliance and the FMU University Programming Board. He was selected to both the PBC Presidential and FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic honors rolls as a freshman.
The Francis Marion men finished in the top five in each of its regular-season meets this year and placed fifth at the PBC Championships.
Doyle was an All-Region performer at Laurens District 55 High School, while Miller was an All-State runner at Chesnee High School.
Peach Belt Conference 2008 Women's Cross Country All-Academic Team
First Team Player School Year Hometown GPA Major Amanda Doyle Francis Marion Jr. Laurens, S.C. 3.81 Accounting Sarah Hakala GCSU Sr. Jacksonville, Fla. 4.00 Biology Kara Kreutzer Augusta State Jr. Lilburn, Ga. 3.41 Biology Emmy Lawalin North Georgia So. Gainesville, Ga. 3.82 Music Education Bea Nelligan North Georgia Jr. Sautee, Ga. 3.94 Math Education Olga Nunez-Lopez Lander Sr. Chapin, S.C. 3.64 Business Administration Bonnie Ueltzen GCSU Jr. Blairsville, Ga. 3.76 Physical Education Second Team Alley Dachenhaus USC Aiken Sr. Batesburg, S.C. 3.72 Early Childhood Education Dani Desitche GCSU So. Snellville, Ga. 3.51 Outdoor Education Chelsea Ellis Clayton State So. Port St. Lucie, Fla. 3.35 Biology Stevi Korczyk Ga. Southwestern Sr. Conyers, Ga. 3.73 Exercise Science Nicole Maitland USC Aiken So. Chapin, S.C. 3.23 Elementary Education Heather Raines GCSU Jr. Lawrenceville, Ga. 3.41 Mass Communications Ivy Ramsey UNC Pembroke Sr. Colby, Kan. 3.32 Exercise & Sport Science Peach Belt Conference 2008 Men's Cross Country All-Academic Team Player School Year Hometown GPA Major Walid Berkhedle Clayton State So. Scarborough, Ontario 3.20 Nursing Tim Cary GCSU So. Monroe, Ga. 3.37 Accounting Stewart Helton Columbus State Jr. Grayson, Ga. 3.89 Biology Josh Hollar GCSU Jr. Canton, Ga. 3.50 Mathematics Ben Miller Francis Marion So. Chesnee, S.C. 3.72 Nursing Jay Moulton Columbus State So. Phenix City, Ala. 4.00 Biology Au Nguyen Clayton State Sr. Mesa, Ariz. 3.66 Business
