NEW ORLEANS, La. (April 23, 2021) – The 2020 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Awards for cross country were announced on Thursday, April 23, and Kendal Clark (Integrated Marketing Communications major; 3.61 GPA) of the Webber International University women's cross country team made the grade.

In order to qualify for All-Academic distinction, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale and qualify for the national championship meet.

Overall, there were 176 women who were named All-Academic individuals in the NAIA, but the only schools from The Sun Conference represented on the list were Webber and Southeastern University.

Webber's Head Cross Country Coach James Simpson said, "As a coach, you would think that having an athlete qualify for nationals and earn All-American status would be one of the exciting moments of our coaching careers. Don't get me wrong, it is an exciting moment, but for one of my athletes to become all-academic at the national level is pretty amazing. Awards like this are the most gratifying because it shows the perseverance and commitment of your athletes. Kendal is an exceptional young lady, and I'm excited to see her grow and become successful in life. Her hard work, commitment, dedication, and selfless attitude have made her who she is today. Thank you for setting the standard as a student-athlete. Good Luck, Kendal Clark; you are loved and will be dearly missed."

For more information, including the complete list of team and individual winners across the NAIA, please visit the links above.