Saints Men's Cross-Country Earn All-Academic from USTFCCCA

NEW ORLEANS (Feb. 1, 2024) – The Men's All-Academic Athletes and All-Academic Teams for the 2023 NAIA Cross-Country season were announced on Thursday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Two student athletes – Kruz Malesich and Sebastian Moreno – and the team from Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) received these honors.

The Saints won its eighth Red River Athletic Conference title in 2023. The team earned 24 points in the championship 8k. Malesich had the highest finish for the Saints in second place with a time of 26:17 and marked a 3.81 GPA. Sebastian Moreno came in seventh place with a time of 26:49 and marked a 3.78 GPA. The team went on to compete in the NAIA National Championships in Vancouver, Wash. The team earned a 3.02 GPA overall.

In order to qualify for All-Academic distinction, student athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale and qualify for the national championship meet. For All-Academic distinction, teams must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period, among other qualifiers.