Eastern Michigan Athletics
Walther Named Academic All-American
6/18/2009 3:12:42 PM | Men's Track & Field
Oliver Walther garners third-team accolades
YPSILANTI, Mich. — Eastern Michigan University men's track student-athlete Oliver Walther (Erfurt, Germany-Pierre-de-Coubertin Gymnasium) has been selected to the 2008-09 ESPN The Magazine Men's Cross Country/Track and Field Academic All-American third team, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced Thursday, June 18. Walther becomes Eastern Michigan's first track and field athlete, male or female, to earn this award.
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, Walther continues to rack up academic awards for the Eagles. He has been named Academic All-District IV by CoSIDA and to four Academic All-MAC teams and was named All-Academic by the U.S. Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association.
The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) selects Academic All-America teams in 12 programs. To be eligible for the Academic All-American honor, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.30 GPA and have been selected to his or her All-District team and the nominee must be a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletic credentials. 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.
2008-09 ESPN The Magazine Men's Cross Country/Track and Field Academic All-America Teams
University Division
Javier Garcia-Tunon FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
Garrett Heath STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Galen Rupp OREGON, UNIVERSITY OF
Patrick Smyth NOTRE DAME, UNIVERSITY OF
Xuehan Xiong ARIZONA, UNIVERSITY OF
Scott Sellers KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Mat Clark NORTHERN IOWA, UNIVERSITY OF
Ryan Vail OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
David Kinsella PORTLAND, UNIVERSITY OF
David McNeill NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
Kevin Kumlien U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY
Alex Godell COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
Andrew Ledwith IONA COLLEGE
Philip Adam RICE UNIVERSITY
Brett Olson RICE UNIVERSITY
SECOND TEAM
University Division
Gonzalo Barroilhet FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
Simon Wardhaugh BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY
Dorian Ulrey ARKANSAS, UNIVERSITY OF
Kent Wories BUTLER UNIVERSITY
Jack Bolas WISCONSIN-MADISON, UNIVERSITY OF
Ryan Grenko NORTHERN IOWA, UNIVERSITY OF
Kinsey Dinnel LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY
Jeff Scull SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
Jason Lewis ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
John Berens RICE UNIVERSITY
Darius Law CHARLOTTE
Ryan Whiting ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
Brian Joyce EVANSVILLE, UNIVERSITY OF
Andy Baker BUTLER UNIVERSITY
Andy Ferrara U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY
THIRD TEAM
University Division
Jonathan Marler IDAHO, UNIVERSITY OF
Randy King CINCINNATI, UNIVERSITY OF
Billy Mateker GEORGIA TECH
Curt McGill SOUTH CAROLINA, UNIVERSITY OF
Chris Baldus MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY AT BOZEMAN
Chris Labosky YALE UNIVERSITY
Lee Ellis Moore MISSISSIPPI, UNIVERSITY OF
Rabun Fox LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Elliott Haynie SOUTH CAROLINA, UNIVERSITY OF
Oliver Walther EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Scott Krapf ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY
Aaron Merrill YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY
Patrick Jenkins WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
Daniel Newell LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
Mark Van Orden U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY
