The University of Southern Indiana landed four student-athletes on the CoSIDA Academic All-District IV Men’s and Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field teams Thursday.
Seniors Johnnie Guy (Palmyra, Indiana) and Tyler Pence (Springfield, Illinois) along with junior Josh Guy (Palmyra, Indiana) were selected to the men’s squad, while sophomore Emily Roberts (Fredericton, Ohio) represented the Screaming Eagles on the women’s squad.
Already a two-time first-team Academic All-American, Johnnie Guy is on the All-District IV team for the third consecutive year after amassing a 3.65 grade point average in engineering. Guy was the GLVC Runner of the Year as well as the GLVC Scholar Athlete of the Year for cross country and has earned a combined three All-America awards in cross country and indoor track, bringing his school-record total to 14.
Guy is pushing for his second national title in the last three years in the 10,000 meters Thursday night at the NCAA II Outdoor Track & Field Championships before finishing his collegiate career in the 5,000 meters Saturday night.
Pence also earned first-team Academic All-America honors a year ago after capturing the national championship in the 10,000 meters. Pence, who was the indoor national champion in the 5,000 meters in 2015, is looking to become the second student-athlete in school history to earn three national championships when he toes the line in the 10,000 meters Thursday night and the 5,000 meters Saturday night.
An elementary education major with a 3.52 GPA, Pence was the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association Track Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2015 and is on the Academic All-District IV team for the second straight year.
Josh Guy, the twin brother of Johnnie Guy, is claiming Academic All-District IV honors for the first time after earning All-Conference honors in both cross country and indoor track & field. Also an engineering major with a 3.64 GPA, Josh Guy earned All-Region honors in the 10,000 meters this spring after earning All-America honors in the event last year. He also is competing in the 10,000 meters Thursday night at the NCAA II Championships.
Roberts has had a stellar season at USI as she garners her first Academic All-District IV award. The GLVC Scholar Athlete of the Year for Cross Country, Roberts finished fifth at the NCAA II Cross Country Championships to earn her first career All-America honor.
A pre-occupational therapy major with a 3.72 GPA, Roberts earned second-team All-America honors in the indoor 5,000 meters before shattering USI’s outdoor records in both the 5,000 meters and the 10,000 meters. She currently ranks third, nationally, in both events and will compete in the 10,000 meters at the national meet Thursday night before finishing the year with an appearance in the 5,000 meters Saturday night.
All four student-athletes will advance to the national ballot for Academic All-America consideration.
The NCAA II Outdoor Championships are Thursday-Saturday in Bradenton, Florida. Live results and video are available at GoUSIEagles.com.
