SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Six Southern Conference athletes have been named to the 2010 Division I All-Academic Track & Field team, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Representing the SoCon are Lee Gilmore of Furman, Patrick Morgan of Appalachian State, Thomas Oliver of Samford and Matt Evans of Western Carolina for the men and Emily Smith of College of Charleston and Anneli Uys of Chattanooga on the women's side.
Gilmer, a sophomore from Mobile, Ala., holds a 3.92 GPA and is a double major in philosophy and history. He placed 35th in the 1500m competition with a time of 3:52.23 at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field East Regional in May. He was chosen the Southern Conference Runner of the Week earlier this spring after registering a time of 4:04.40 in the Blue Shoes Elite Mile, which was held in conjunction with the Furman Invitational. He broke the school record in the event, a mark that had stood for 35 years.
Morgan, a graduate student from Danville, Ky., broke a 25-year-old school record for the indoor mile as he helped Appalachian State claim the conference title, the school's seventh since 2000.
Samford's Oliver, a native of Birmingham, Ala., received all conference honors in the javelin as a sophomore to help lead the Bulldogs to a third place showing in the SoCon Championships.
Evans, a native of Old Fort, N.C., set school records in the high jump and javelin in his senior season at WCU. Evans was honored as the Southern Conference Field Athlete of the Month for March. He was named the Field Athlete of the Week for March 25. In addition, he was named the SoCon Student Athlete of the Week for Feb. 3. Evans was also named the SoCon Indoor Track & Field Most Outstanding Field Performer and earned four All-Conference accolades during the 2009-10 season.
College of Charleston sophomore Smith, a Rock Hill, S.C., native, is a two-time qualifier for the NCAA in the high jump and has the school record at CofC in the event with a jump of 5'10".
Uys, a senior from Somerville, Australia, was named the conference's 2010 Female Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year. She is also a two-time Southern Conference champion in the 800m and 1500m.
To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and have met either the NCAA Division I Indoor automatic or provisional qualifying standard or participated in the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships (including preliminary rounds) in their respective event. A record total of 357 student-athletes representing 118 institutions compose this year's team.