torphy earns academic all-america honor

Muhlenberg rising junior Bobby Torphy was named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America track and field/cross country third team, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

One of only three sophomores to make the team, Torphy is a biochemistry major who earned All-America honors in indoor track and field by running on the distance medley relay team that placed fourth at NCAA Division III Championships. He contributed to indoor school records in the DMR and 4x800, winning gold medals in both relays at the Centennial Conference Championships.

Torphy added another gold outdoors by anchoring the 4x800, and individually he won silver (outdoors) and bronze (indoors) medals in the 800.

In cross country, Torphy was the Mules’ third runner all season and finished third at the Mule/Falcon Classic. He has been named a captain of the 2009 cross country team.

A member of Pre-Health Club, Torphy performs volunteer work at Lehigh Valley Hospital.

Torphy is the third Academic All-American in the history of the Mule cross country/track and field program. He is the first Muhlenberg athlete to earn Academic All-America honors following his sophomore year since 1989.

Torphy is in elite company as the fourth Mule athlete to earn both All-America and Academic All-America honors. The others are Elaine Gratrix (softball, 1991); Matt Loesch (wrestling, 2007); and John DeLuca (football, 2008).

To be eligible for Academic All-America honors, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his current institution and be nominated by his sports information director. Since the program’s inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA covering all NCAA championship sports.