Four from men’s track earn USTFCCA All-Academic honors

NEW ORLEANS – Four members of the Haverford College men’s track & field team were selected to the 2009 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division III Men’s All-Academic Team. Recent graduates Taylor Burmeister, Dan O’Toole and Chaz Thomas, in addition to sophomore Chris Southwick all got the nod.

A total of 186 student-athletes representing 78 Division III colleges and universities made up the 2009 All-Academic team. To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track & Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 and have met the NCAA Division III Indoor or Outdoor automatic or provisional qualifying standard in their respective event.

Burmeister passed the provisional qualifying standard in the 10,000 meter run with his first-place performance of 30:45.64 at the Swarthmore Last Chance Meet on May 11.

O’Toole reached the provisional standard in the mile (indoor), 1,500 (outdoor) and 5,000 (outdoor), but was selected to run in the 1,500 at the NCAA Championship. His time of 3:50.71 at the Swarthmore Last Chance Meet gave him the fastest time in the country of all provisional qualifiers.

Thomas qualified in the long and triple jumps for both seasons. He garnered All-American honors in the long jump in both seasons, giving him All-American honors three times in his career.

Like Burmeister and O’Toole, Southwick also ran a provisional qualifying time at Swarthmore. He placed fourth in the 3,000 steeplechase at the meet and held the 17th fastest time in the nation prior to the NCAA Championship.