NEW ORLEANS – The NM State Track & Field program, along with five individuals, have been recognized for their hard work on and off the field, earning USTFCCCA All-Academic honors, announced in a press release on Tuesday.
 
As a team, the Aggies accumulated a GPA of 3.339 during the 2024-25 academic year. This becomes the 12^th USTFCCCA All-Academic honor for the program since 2011.
 
Senior Jhana Downie earned her way onto the list after graduating with a 3.27 GPA in Kinesiology, while advancing to her fourth consecutive NCAA West First Round, this time in the 200m.
 
Rebecca Green qualified for the distinction after earning a 4.0 GPA in Communication Disorders, while tallying a new program record (16.75m) as well as taking home the gold at the CUSA Indoor Track & Field Championships with a mark of 16.57m (a new facility record).
 
Alesha Lane notched a breakout year for the Aggies, setting a new school record in the discus (53.12m) while making her first appearance at the NCAA West First Round in the same event. The Junior currently holds a 3.667 GPA in Kinesiology.
 
Rachel O'Brien made her mark in one season with the Aggies, tallying a school record in the 1500m (4:14.86) and qualifying for the NCAA West First Round in the same event. In the classroom, the Heyfield, Australia, native boasted a 4.0 GPA in Public Health.
 
Mickaliliah Vassell saw her NM State career come to a close, joining the Crimson & White after a pair of seasons at nearby New Mexico Junior College. The Portmore, Jamaica, native graduated with a GPA of 3.32 in Sociology.
 
Criterion for the award are as follows…

• Minimum CUMULATIVE grade point average of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period, certifiable by either NCAA Faculty Rep or NCAA Compliance Coordinator or Registrar's Office. Institutions utilizing a different GPA scale must convert the GPA to a 4.0 scale using the standard conversion method [GPA/Scale x 4.0].
• Must have completed at least two (2) semesters or three (3) quarters at the nominating institution.
• Athletic criteria for the award:
  • For the indoor season: must have finished the season ranked in the top 96 in any championship individual event, or in the top 48 in any championship relay event, for the most recent indoor season, certifiable by their place on final season performance lists on TFRRS for Indoor Track and Field (including performances achieved outside the qualifying window during the indoor season).
  • For the outdoor season: must have participated in any round of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships (the Preliminary Championship Competition and/or the Final Championship Competition) or for the multi-events, must have finished the season ranked in the top 48 in the East or top 48 in the West for the most recent outdoor season, certifiable by their place on the NCAA Division I

 
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