Wayne, Neb.-- For the 17th straight season, the Wayne State College women’s track and field team received All-Academic honors from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association released Wednesday afternoon by the coaches’ association office in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Four individuals also earned individual All-Academic honors from the coaches association.

To qualify for the team academic award, an institution must record a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher while individuals must maintain a 3.25 grade point average and have achieved a provisional or automatic qualifying mark for the NCAA Championships in either indoor or outdoor seasons.

As a team, Wayne State recorded a cumulative grade point average of 3.625 to earn the award for the 17th straight year.  It was the 16th best team GPA in NCAA Division II with more than 100 teams including 11 from the NSIC receiving the team honor.

Brooklyn Chipps, a redshirt junior from Elgin (Clearwater HS), carries a 3.296 grade point average majoring in foods and nutrition.  She was a national qualifier in both indoor and outdoor seasons this year, highlighted by a third place finish in the outdoor season in the hammer throw to earn NCAA Division II All-American honors.  Chipps was All-NSIC in the hammer throw (2nd place) and named USTFCCCA All-Central Region in the hammer throw.  She was also a national qualifier in the weight throw during the indoor season.

Nicole Heeren, a redshirt junior from Allison, Iowa (North Butler HS), maintains a 3.848 grade point average majoring in life science/biology and is a three-time USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree.  She recorded an NCAA provisional mark in the hammer throw during the outdoor season.

Mckenzie Scheil, a graduate student from Fairmont (Fillmore Central HS), has a 3.869 grade point average majoring in school counseling.  She was an All-American in both seasons this year, collecting sixth place in the weight throw during the indoor season and second in the hammer throw during the outdoor campaign.  Scheil was All-NSIC this season in the indoor shot put, NSIC champion in the hammer throw and All-NSIC (third place) in the outdoor shot put.

Jadin Wagner, a graduate student from Lawton, Iowa (Lawton-Bronson HS), recorded a 4.00 grade point average this year majoring in sports rec management/organizational management and is a four-time USTFCCCA All-Academic selection.  She recorded an NCAA provisional mark in the hammer throw during the outdoor season and placed seventh in the event at the NSIC Outdoor Championships.