SAN ANTONIO - The University of the Incarnate Word Cross Country teams had three student-athletes named to the Southland Conference All-Academic Teams. Griffin Neal was crowned the male Student-Athlete of the Year for the second year in a row, while Alexandre Fetizon and Ashlyn Royal were both named to the All-Academic First Team.
Neal was a standout both in competition and in the classroom. The Junior from Wimberly, Texas held a 3.75 GPA with a major in business administration while leading the men's cross-country team this season. Neal had four top-ten finishes this season including two first place finishes to kick off the season. Neal was named to the first team all-conference team after finishing second in the SLC Championship. Neal also earned an All-Region medal in the NCAA South Central Regional Championship, placing 21st.
Alexandre Fetizon, a mechanical engineering major with a 4.0 GPA, and Ashlyn Royal, a business administration major with a 3.78 GPA, also help set the standard for UIW student-athletes emerging as leaders in the classroom as well as competition. The pair recorded top finishes and best times throughout the season all while having outstanding academic accomplishments.
As a team, the men's and women's programs did amazing things in the classroom and in competitions. The women's team posted a 3.30 GPA this past fall. The men's team reached their highest ranking in the NCAA South Central Region this past fall, while also posting a 3.40 GPA, which is one of the highest in program history.
"Ashlyn, Alex, and Griffin perform at such a high level consistently on the cross country course and their performance level is no different in the classroom," said Head Coach Dr. Derek Riedel. "They work so hard in the classroom and consistently set the example for our team! I am so proud of Griffin for being selected as the Student-Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year. This is a first for our program and I cannot think of a better program ambassador than Griffin. Most people do not know this, but Alex earned a very impressive distinction by being the first student in the history of the engineering program to maintain a 4.0 into his junior year. He is nearly at the end of his program, and he still holds a perfect 4.0. Lastly, Ashlyn makes a big difference on campus as a tutoring center supervisor. She has tutored many students to better grades the last three years."
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