NEW ORLEANS, La. - Four West Liberty University men's cross country athletes were recognized for their outstanding work on and off the course this past fall by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association earlier today. Freshman Robert Allen, graduate student Danah Phillips, senior Brenden Sands, and graduate student Philip White earned All-Academic status for the Hilltoppers in the USTFCCCA Academic Honors release.

Allen and Sands each recorded 4.0 grade point averages and were honored by the Mountain East Conference earlier this year on the Academic All-MEC list. Phillips and White were listed on the MEC's Commissioner's Honor Roll.

On the course, they were the top four finishers for the Black and Gold at the NCAA Regional Race this past November in Mansfield, Pa. Phillips led the quartet with a top-20 finish earning a spot on the All-Region team. Sands crossed the line in 31st, White posted a 31:25.8 in 54th place, and Allen ran a 31:53.7 in his first college regional.
 

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.
 

Follow Hilltopper Cross Country online at HilltopperSports.com and on Twitter (@WLU_XCTF | @WLathletics), Instagram (@wlu_xctf | @wlu_athletics), and Facebook.