Three track athletes receive academic honor

Three members of the Muhlenberg cross country/track and field teams were named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District II team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

District II College Division consists of all NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA and two-year colleges and universities in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. To be nominated for the team, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore with a 3.3 cumulative grade-point average and a starter or significant reserve on his or her team.

Rising senior Bobby Torphy was elected to the first team for the second year in a row. A biochemistry major, Torphy qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships and the Indoor Track & Field Championships. At the cross country meet he beat more than 100 runners, and at the track meet he placed 10th overall in the 800, missing qualifying for the final by just two places.

The academic honor is Torphy’s second of the year. At the Indoor Championships he received the prestigious Elite 88 award, given to the student-athlete with the highest grade-point average competing at the finals site of each of the NCAA’s 88 Championships. He will move to the national ballot for Academic All-America honors.

Recent graduate Alex Faust and rising junior Michael Baer were both named to the Academic All-District second team. A double major in dance and business administration, Faust earned All-America honors in the pole vault at both the indoor and outdoor NCAA meets. She was named the Most Outstanding Performer in field events at the Centennial Conference indoor and outdoor championships and ended her career with eight school records.

A biochemistry major, Baer (left) placed fifth in the decathlon at the CC Outdoor Championships. His best finish of the season came indoors at the Muhlenberg Invitational, where he placed second in the 55 hurdles.