Zach Ahart Earns Academic All-MAC Accolades
1/15/2014 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
BUFFALO, NY – University at Buffalo senior cross country runner and MAC Champion, Zach Ahart, has been named to the Academic All-Mid-American Conference men's cross country team. The league announced its honorees from its Cleveland headquarters on Wednesday.
This is the third straight season Ahart has been named to the All-Academic squad.
Ahart, a senior chemistry major with a 3.33 grade point average, earned All-MAC First Team honors after becoming the first male in school history to win the individual title at the MAC Championships. Ahart finished with a team-best time of 24:47.6, finishing seven seconds ahead of the second place finisher. The Wheatfield, NY native recorded his best 8k time of 24.13 at the Princeton Invite as he finished in 13th place out of 272 runners. Ahart started his senior season off right with a first place finish at the Bull lone home event, the UB Stampede, finishing with a time of 25.44 on the sloppy course.
"Zach is a prime example of how athletics and academic go hand-in-hand," said head coach Vicki Mitchell. "When one excels in the academic arena, they will also excel athletically. Zach has held himself to an extremely high standard throughout his undergraduate career, and we are extremely proud of his achievements as a MAC Champion and an stellar student-athlete."
Also making the All-Academic squad as honorable mentions from the men's side were Cameron Bruce, Brian Crimmins while Chrissy Clarkin and Kaitlin McCadden made the list on the women's side.
The UB men finished fifth of nine teams at the MAC Championships for the second consecutive season and 23rd of 39 teams at the NCAA Northeast Regionals. The women's team took home seventh place at the MAC Championships for the second straight season while recording a 19th place finish at the NCAA Northeast Regionals.
A total of 40 athletes (11 men and 29 women) were named to the Academic All-MAC teams.
To be nominated, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award. Outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments from the current season only are considered. The Academic All-MAC team is voted on by the league's faculty athletic representatives.
