July 12, 2007

NEW ORLEANS - Wake Forest's Michelle Sikes has been named the 2007 Division I Outdoor Track & Field Scholar Athlete of the Year, as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced the 2007 Women's Division I All-Academic Track & Field Team on July 5.

In all, 21 ACC athletes were named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team. Sikes, a mathematical economics major, had one of the most remarkable years of any student-athlete in the country.

She won the 5000-meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Sacramento to become the first female track athlete in Wake Forest history to win an NCAA crown. Sikes also recently earned a spot on the USA World Championship team after finishing third in the 5000-meters at the USA Track & Field Championships.

In addition to her many athletic accomplishments, Sikes recently received the Marge Crisp Award as Wake Forest's top female athlete for 2006-07 and earlier this year was named a Rhodes Scholar, as well as an Atlantic Coast Conference Postgraduate Scholar.

Arizona State University's Sarah Stevens was named the 2007 Division I Indoor Track & Field Scholar Athlete of the Year. Stevens helped lead the Sun Devils to both the indoor and outdoor team titles this season. She won the shot put national title indoors with a mark of 59'7", while finishing fifth in the weight throw.

The USTFCCCA honors Division I individuals for their academic and athletic achievements during the indoor and outdoor track season. To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, one must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.25 and obtain an NCAA automatic or provisional qualifying mark for the most recent indoor championships or an outdoor regional qualifying mark in their respective event.

ACC Athletes on the 2007 USTFCCCA Division I Women's
All-Academic Track and Field Team

Allyn Laughlin, Florida State University
Debra A. Huss, Florida State University
Kandia Batchelor, Florida State University
Keyla Smith, Florida State University
Lydia L. Willemse, Florida State University
Elena Linn, Georgia Tech
Jenny Sims, Georgia Tech
Samantha Musil, Georgia Tech
Jemissa Hess, North Carolina State University
Oluwatoni Aluko, University of Maryland
Alison McGinnis, University of North Carolina
Georgia Kloss, University of North Carolina
Morgan Stengel, University of North Carolina
Rhian Jenks, University of North Carolina
Janine Ricci, University of Virginia
Katie Read, University of Virginia
Katie Tershel, University of Virginia
Caitlin Chrisman, Wake Forest University
Lindsay Neuberger, Wake Forest University
Michelle Sikes, Wake Forest University
Nicole Schappert, Wake Forest University