CALIFORNIA (June 4) – California University of Pennsylvania graduate student
Christopher Clark (Hadley, Pa./Commodore Perry) was selected to the
ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II Men’s Track & Field/Cross Country First Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Thursday. Clark is the first Vulcan runner to earn the academic laurel in recent program history (since 2003).
As a first-team academic all-district selection, Clark is eligible to become an
ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American.
Clark finished his career as one of the most decorated runners in school history, earning NCAA All-America laurels three times this year and five times during his career.
In the fall, he finished fourth overall at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships with a time of 31 minutes, 12 seconds. Leading up the national race, Clark won individual titles at both the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and NCAA Atlantic Regional Championships with course-record times. He was selected the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Atlantic Region and PSAC Cross Country Athlete of the Year.
A native of Hadley, Pa., Clark earned PSAC Track Athlete of the Year honors during the outdoor season. At the 2009 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships, he earned All-America honors in both the 5,000- and 10,000-meter runs by finishing eighth overall in both events. Clark won the 10K at the PSAC Outdoor Championship last month.
In April, he set a PSAC all-time record in the 10,000 meters at the Mt. San Antonio College (SAC) Relays with a time of 29:03.10. He broke the 25-year old conference record held by Cal U Athletic Hall of Fame inductee and five-time All-American
Brian Ferrari by one-tenth of a second (29:03.20).
Academically, Clark was a PSAC Fall Top 10 selection this year and is currently a candidate for the PSAC Spring Top 10. The former Commodore Perry standout was a member of USTFCCCA All-Academic Team in 2008 and is a PSAC Scholar-Athlete.
Clark, who was on the Cal U AD Honor Roll during the both the fall and spring semesters this year, has earned his undergraduate degree in secondary education from Cal U. He currently holds a 4.00 GPA while pursuing his master’s degree in exercise science.
To qualify for the academic all-district honors, student-athletes must maintain a cumulative 3.20 GPA or higher and must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institution. Nominees must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team’s games and must be a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletic credentials.
Notably, District II consists of all colleges and universities in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia and District of Columbia that are not affiliated with NCAA Division I.