NEW ORLEANS, La. – West Texas A&M Cross Country teams continue to make history as the Men's and Women's Scholar Athlete of the Year and All-Academic Athletes and teams for the 2023 NCAA Division II Cross Country season were announced on Thursday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). West Texas A&M No. 4 Buffs and No. 6 Lady Buffs earned honors in every category with Amponsah claiming the first-ever Men's Scholar Athlete of the Year for West Texas A&M.
In order to qualify for All-Academic distinction, student athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale and finish in the top-30 percent of their respective regional championship meet, among other qualifiers.
William Amponsah of West Texas A&M was named the Men's Scholar Athlete of the Year for the 2023 NCAA Division II Cross Country season. Amponsah, who hails from Agona Swedru, Central, Ghana, and majors in sports and exercise science, won the individual title at the 2023 NCAA DII Cross Country Championships in Joplin, Missouri. Amponsah went undefeated in his debut season in the maroon and white winning all six races he competed in. This is the first time in program history that an athlete from West Texas A&M has been named Men's Scholar Athlete of the Year for the cross country season.
Overall, eight student-athletes earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors including Amponsah. Senior Louis Moreau of Tressere, France and junior Enrico Oddone of Alpignano, Italy claim their first honor. Moreau and Oddone both study in the Paul and Virginia Engler School of Business.
The Lady Buffs earned five honors making this group the most USTFCCCA all-academic honors since 2013. Betty Bajika, Raquel Chavez, Elise Leveel, Lexi Maul and Olivia McLain each competed in the national championship and earned All-Academic. Bajika, an engineering major hails from Arlington, Texas; Chavez studies physical therapy and is from Los Lunes, NM; Leveel majors in digital communication, media and journalism and is from Carquebut, France; Maul studies sports and exercise science coming from Pampa, Texas; McLain is getting her MBA as a graduate student and is from York, Pennsylvania.
In addition, both the Buffs and Lady Buffs earned USTFCCCA All-Academic Team awards with the Lady Buffs boasting a team GPA of 3.43 and the Buffs claiming a 3.19 team GPA.
In order to qualify for All-Academic distinction, teams must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period and compile a team score at their respective regional championship meet, among other qualifiers.
