POCATELLO, Idaho –The Idaho State men's and women's track and field teams continue to excel in the classroom. Tanner Conner and Anna Gardom have been awarded United Stated Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) all-academic honors, and the men and women's track and field teams received all-academic team honors.
"It is a big deal," Head Coach Hillary Merkley said. "Athletics is a big part of what brings kids into Idaho State to participate but the overall objective is to get a higher education. To have our kids get honors is a big deal."
Each year the USTFCCCA recognizes athletes and teams who perform highly in both athletics and academics. To qualify, the student-athletes must have compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.25. They also must have participated in any round, including preliminaries, of the NCAA Division I Championships.
In 2018, Gardom won the javelin throw at the Big Sky Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a distance of 48.86m (160' 4"). Conner won the men's 110 hurdles with a time of 14.01 conference championships.
These results awarded both student-athletes a spot to compete at the 2018 NCAA West Preliminary rounds in Sacramento, Calif.
The men's team recorded the highest overall GPA in the Big Sky Conference with a cumulative 3.37. The women's team also ranked as one of the highest in conference with a GPA of 3.42.
To achieve team honors, the cumulative GPA for all student-athletes on the institution's NCAA squad list for Indoor and/or Outdoor Track and Field must be a 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period certifiable by the NCAA Compliance Coordinator or Registrar's Office.
"I think it helps build their confidence," Merkley said. "It will help them in all levels. A lot of our kids work on top of being full time students and athletes. Our scholarships aren't full rides, and to have them be able to do all the things they do and come out with that high of marks is awesome."
