Four Spartans Earn CoSIDA All-District Track & Field Accolades
5/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
CoSIDA Full Release
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Four Spartans were named to the 2016 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District 5 Track & Field and Cross Country Team, the organization released on Thursday, May 26.
On the women's side, senior Lauren Chorny, sophomore Katelyn Daniels and junior Alexis Wiersma were named to the District 5 First Team. Chorny held a 3.75 GPA in neuroscience, while breaking her own program record in the pole vault this season with a clearance of 4.20m at the Virginia Challenge. She entered the Big Ten Championships inside the nation's top 25 in the event. Chorny is a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and an Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
Daniels broke school records in the discus and shot put in her second season in East Lansing, while posting a 3.91 in human biology. She has notched career-best marks of 59.07m in the discus and 16.06m in the shot put in 2016. Daniels ranked as high as fifth nationally in the discus with her mark of 59.07m. She was the 2015 Big Ten Champion in the discus, setting an MSU & Big Ten meet record with a mark of 59.06 meters.
Wiersma earned a 3.94 GPA as a marketing major. She was earned First-Team All-Big Ten accolades with a second-place effort at the Big Ten Championships in cross country during the fall with a personal-best 19:49.9. Wiersma followed the performance with a First-Team All-Regional effort with a 20:33.9 to take third at the Great Lakes Regional before racing to All-American honors with a 20:12.1 at the NCAA Championships, crossing the line in 21st. On the track, Wiersma took third in the 5,000 meters at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, clocking a 16:15.16. She turned in her career-best of 15:53.58 this season. Wiersma is an Academic All-Big Ten honoree and has received a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honor.
Senior Caleb Rhynard was the lone Spartan on the men's side to earn All-District honors. Rhynard earned a 3.95 GPA in kinesiology. He was third at the 2016 Big Ten Indoor Championships, clocking a 14:02.10 in the 5K. During the fall, Rhynard rounded out the top 10 with a 30:52.0 to become the first Spartan in history to earn All-Great Lakes Regional honors four times in cross country. He was an Academic All-Big Ten selection and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar awardee.
Only first teams were chosen for at-large district recognition, so all honorees will advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Team ballot, where first-, second- and third-team All-America honorees will be selected in June.
Players Mentioned
