Men's Outdoor Track and Field Southern Conference

VMI Duo Earns Academic All-America Honors

LEXINGTON, Va. - VMI senior Michael Lokale (Eldoret, Kenya / Starhe Boys
Center) and sophomore Ty Denby (Scottsville, Va. / Fluvanna County) were
named to the 2003 Verizon Academic All-America men's track and field third
team on Tuesday. Lokale and Denby made the team for the first time, joining
wrestler Adam Britt as VMI's second and third Verizon Academic All-Americans
for the 2002-2003 academic year. The team was chosen by the College Sports
Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Lokale recently graduated from VMI with a 3.793 GPA in Biology. He was named
a Rhodes Scholar in December, becoming the Institute's 10th Rhodes Scholar
and first since 1967. As one of two Kenyans selected from a pool of 250
applicants for the award, Lokale will have an opportunity to pursue graduate
work in a college of the University of Oxford in England next fall. He was
also named to the TIAA-CREF Academic All-Southern Conference team for the
winter and spring of 2003 and a 2002-2003 SoCon postgraduate scholarship
recipient. He was a member of the 4x400m relay team that finished second at
the SoCon Indoor Championships in Johnson City, Tenn. (3:16.71) and third at
the SoCon Outdoor Championships in Boone, N.C. (3:14.66).

"This is great news," said Lokale. "I am deeply honored to be named to the
Academic All-America third team. This is a testimony to the kind of
unwavering commitment on the part of VMI and the Southern Conference to
nurture and educate-student athletes in the true sense of the word."

Denby has a 4.0 GPA in Chemistry. He was named to the TIAA-CREF Academic
All-SoCon team for the winter and spring of 2003. He gained all-conference
honors with a third place finish at the SoCon Indoor Championships (15'0")
and the SoCon Outdoor Championships (14'7-1/4").

"This is awesome," stated Denby. "I've worked so hard this year. My coaches
have helped me out athletically and pushed me in the classroom. It is truly
an honor to represent VMI. There are so many great athletes from other
schools, and it is nice to see VMI being listed with the larger schools."