RELEASED:  Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Three Claim Academic All-America Men’s Track & Field/Cross Country Academic Honors

Madison, Wis.--Three Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) individuals have been named to the 2008 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Men’s Track & Field/Cross Country Team.

UW-Platteville’s Tony Kilburg was a first team selection, while UW-Eau Claire’s Sam Johnson and UW-Stevens Point’s Kyle Steiner were second team choices.

The team is comprised of all NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA student-athletes throughout the country and is voted on by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), while being sponsored by ESPN The Magazine.  To be eligible for the team, a student-athlete must maintain at least a grade point average of 3.20 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his current institution and be nominated by his sports information director.

Kilburg, a junior from Bellevue, Iowa, is majoring in engineering physics and mathematics and boasts a 3.89 grade point average.  He is the first WIAC track & field/cross country student-athlete to claim Academic All-America first team honors since UW-La Crosse’s Eric Svestka in 2006.   Kilburg is the fourth Pioneer track & field/cross country member to secure first team accolades, joining Mike Hintz (1986-87), Dan Jansen (1989-90) and Bryan Cunningham (1996, 1998).

Johnson, a junior from Deer Park, Wis. (Amery), carries a 3.93 grade point average and is majoring in physics.  He is the third Blugold track & field/cross country student-athlete to secure Academic All-America recognition, joining Jason Slaikeu (1996-98) and John Schuna (2005).

A senior from Grafton, Wis., Steiner is the first individual in program history to earn Academic All-America honors in back-to-back years.  He is majoring in biology and sustains a 3.79 grade point average.

WIAC All-Americans
Academic All-Americans