Courtesy USTFCCCA

NEW ORLEANS, La. - Williams has been named the 2008 NCAA Division III USTFCCCA Men’s Cross Country Scholar Team of the Year, while Middlebury received the 2008 NCAA Division III USTFCCCA Women’s Cross Country Scholar Team of the Year award, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced on Tuesday.

Williams receives the 2008 USTFCCCA All-Academic honor after finishing third overall at the 2008 NCAA Division III Cross Country National Championships. The Ephs also won the New England Championships and its third straight New England Small College Athletic Conference Championship prior to nationals.

In the classroom, the Ephs maintained a 3.360 cumulative team grade point average. While this is the first Scholar Team of the Year honor for Williams, the institution has made the USTFCCCA All-Academic team list every year since 2005.

Middlebury finished 15th at the 2007 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships before winning the 2008 NCAA Division III Cross Country title.

Middlebury won the 2008 New England Regional Championship and was the co-champion of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). Middlebury, which maintains a cumulative 3.480 grade point average, was also on the USTFCCCA All-Academic team list in 2007, and in 2006.

The NESCAC had eight squads qualify for the Men's All-Academic Team, tying for the most programs among all conference, while nine teams earned recognition on the Women's All-Academic Team, second only to the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC).

For a team to be considered for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team award, they must have competed and compiled a team score at an NCAA Regional Meet. The team must also have a minimum 3.10 team cumulative grade point average.