Eastern Michigan Athletics
Walther and Fortin Named ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District
6/5/2009 10:46:18 AM | Men's Track & Field
Oliver Walther garners first-team accolades while Kyle Fortin earns a second-team nod
YPSILANTI, Mich. — Eastern Michigan University men's track student-athletes Oliver Walther (Erfurt, Germany-Pierre-de-Coubertin Gymnasium) and Kyle Fortin (Fairview, Mich.-Fairview) have been selected to the 2008-09 ESPN THE Magazine Men's Cross Country/Track and Field Academic All-District IV first and second team, respectively, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced. Walther, who garnered first-team accolades, will now go on the national ballot for Academic All-America recognition.
Walther, a finance major carrying a 3.92 GPA, had an excellent season that was highlighted by winning the indoor Mid-American Conference Championship title in the long jump. The Erfurt, Germany native was in third place heading into his final attempt but he sprinted down the runway and leaped from the take-off board to hit a career-best mark of 23-10.75. He became EMU's second MAC long jump champion since Victor Nembhard won the title in 1999. With the win, he picked up first-team All-MAC honors for the first time in his career and was also named to the indoor Academic All-MAC squad. Additionally, he was able to add six points for the Eagles at the indoor conference championship by placing third in the triple jump with a season-best mark of 48-06.25.
Outdoors, Walther continued to impress as he was able to add five points to the Eagles' runner-up performance at the Outdoor MAC Championship by placing fourth in the triple jump with a season-best leap of 48-02.00. For the second-straight year, he was named to the outdoor Academic All-MAC squad by the leagues Faculty Athletic Representatives.
With this most recent award from CoSIDA, Walther continues to rack up academic awards for the Eagles. He has been named to four Academic All-MAC teams and was named All-Academic by the U.S. Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association.
Fortin, who joined the squad in the fall of 2008 after transferring from Central Michigan University, is a marketing major carrying a 3.88 cumulative GPA. In his first season with the Eagles, he has been a solid long sprinter for the Eagles, primarily running the 400 meters. He was a part of the outdoor MAC Championship 4x400-meter relay team that earned a bid to the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships in Louisville, Ky., where the quartet ran a season-best time of 3:10.69 to finish 17th. In addition to his work on the track, he has been named to both the indoor and outdoor Academic All-MAC squads.
The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) selects Academic All-America teams in 12 programs. The nominee must be a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletic credentials and at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) in both undergraduate and graduate work. He/she must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institution (true freshmen, red-shirt freshmen and ineligible athletic transfers are not eligible) and must have completed at least one full academic year at the institution. Nominated athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games.
District 4 Winners-University Division
Randy King CINCINNATI UNIVERSITY
Patrick Jenkins WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
Jager Livingston AUBURN UNIVERSITY
Shamus Eaton OHIO UNIVERSITY
Scott Novack AUBURN UNIVERSITY
Aaron Merrill YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY
Pat Sovacool MIAMI UNIVERSITY
Zack Jones OAKLAND UNIVERSITY
Oliver Walther EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Tony Jordanek KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
SECOND TEAM
Kip Hill BELMONT UNIVERSIT
Anthony Agrusa MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Caleb Swartz BELMONT UNIVERSITY
Paul Krebs MIAMI UNIVERSITY
Ryan Chastain LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY
Will Peters BELMONT UNIVERSITY
Joe Lahmon YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY
Kyle Fortin EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Chris Berry TENNESSEE-CHATTANOOGA, UNIVERSITY OF
Steffen Nerdal MEMPHIS, UNIVERSITY OF
