Excellence on the Course and in the Classroom

We are proud of our student-athletes and their dedication to their sport and their academics. Balancing a full class load with a rigorous sports schedule takes determination, commitment, and exceptional time management skills. “With the added requirements of a sport on top of the already very busy life of a college student, student-athletes really understand the importance of prioritizing their academics so they can then also be successful athletically,” says Jeff Magley, Jessup’s cross country coach. “As a coaching staff, we want a team culture that takes just as much pride in our academic accomplishments as we do in our athletic accomplishments.”

Jessup’s men’s and women’s cross country teams have a lot to celebrate this year. In addition to a successful cross country season, they were both awarded USTFCCCA NAIA All-Academic Team awards. These awards are given to teams with an overall 3.0 GPA or higher. The women’s team ranked number one on the list with an overall GPA of 3.84. The women’s team also had the fourth-best GPA in all divisions – NCAA 1, 2, 3, and NAIA. “This a tremendous honor for both our men’s and women’s cross country teams to be recognized among the best in the country for their academic achievements,” says Coach Magley. “For our women’s team to have the highest team GPA of any program in the NAIA across the country is a great testament to a total team effort, as every lady on the team committed to a pre-season academic goal that they set for themselves.”

This is the second year in a row for both the men’s and women’s teams to receive this high honor. Additionally, Bailey Cossentine, one of Jessup’s women’s cross country athletes earned the designation of Academic All-American for the second year in a row because she not only earned a high GPA but qualified for the NAIA Cross Country Championship in Vancouver, Washington. “Our student-athletes have a very strong innate drive and motivation to be the best they can not only on the course and track but in the classroom and I think that shows in their results,” says Magley.

Learn more about Jessup’s Women’s Cross Country Team at  jessupathletics.com.