Chris Cralle of Sam Houston State is one of three student-athletes from the Southland Conference to earn a berth on the 2009 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division I All-Academic men's team.
Cralle, a junior political science major with a 3.27 overall grade point average, won the 2009 Southland Conference hammer title with a throw of 209 feet, 10 inches. He placed fifth at the NCAA Regional in Oklahoma and placed 13th in the NCAA national championships. Cralle is a product of A&M Consolidated High School in College Station.
A record total of 327 student-athletes f 107 Division I institutions were selected to the USTFCCCA men's 2009 All-Academic team.
The USTFCCCA honors Division I individuals for their academic and athletic achievements during the indoor and outdoor track and field seasons.
To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and have met either the NCAA Division I Indoor automatic or provisional qualifying standard or the NCAA Division I Outdoor regional or national qualifying standard in their respective event.
Keith Mahipala, a junior biology major with a 3.66 GPA at Stephen F. Austin, and Takeshi Fujiwara, a senior business administration major with a 3.33 GPA at Texas-Arlington, are the other two representatives from the Southland on the 2009 All-Academic men's team.
