New Orleans, La. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's track & field team has been named the 2013-14 Scholar Team of the Year in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III for both the indoor and outdoor seasons by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).  It marks the second consecutive year UW-L has earned the honor for the indoor and outdoor season.  The Eagles earned the distinctions as a result of being the highest-placing team with at least a 3.10 cumulative grade point average at the NCAA Division III Indoor and Outdoor championship.  UW-L finished with a 3.13 cumulative grade point average.
 

It marks the third time in the last four seasons (2011, 2013, 2014) UW-L has claimed both the indoor and outdoor Scholar Team of the Year Award.  The Eagles have earned the indoor Scholar Team of the Year Award five of the last seven seasons (2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014) and outdoor Scholar Team of the Year Award three of the last four years (2011, 2013, 2014).

A total of 93 teams earned the 2013-14 USTFCCCA All-Academic Award combining academic and athletic achievement, including UW-L, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Stout from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC).

UW-L captured the 2014 NCAA Division III indoor title and finished runner-up at the outdoor championships under head coach Josh Buchholtz.  It was the Eagles' 17th indoor national title in school history, the most in NCAA Division III.  The team totaled 63.5 team points to claim this year's crown, winning its second straight title and 10th in the last 14 seasons.  UW-L placed second at the 2014 outdoor championships, finishing with 42.0 team points while the University of Mount Union (Ohio) captured the national title with 47.0 points.  It was UW-L's third second-place finish in the last four years at the national outdoor championships.  The Eagles have won an NCAA-best 12 outdoor titles in school history. 

UW-L swept the 2014 WIAC indoor and outdoor crowns, capturing its 39th indoor title and 50th outdoor championship.  The 39 indoor and 50 outdoor championships both rank first in WIAC history. 

Seventeen members of UW-L's squad were named to the 2013-14 USTFCCCA Division III All-Academic Team, the most among all institutions.  Massachusetts Institute of Technology was second with 12 student-athletes earning the award.  A total of 276 student-athletes representing 100 institutions earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors for their combined efforts in competition and in the classroom.  The WIAC led the nation with 43 All-Academic choices.

To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 and have met either of the following athletic standards, competed in an NCAA Indoor or Outdoor Championship and finished the regular season ranked in the national top-35 in an individual event or ranked in the national top-25 (collective listing) in a relay event on the official NCAA POP list provided by TFRRS.org.

UW-L seniors John Cooper (3.47 grade point average; business finance), Josh Dedering (3.76; sport management-business administration), Gerald Kerska (3.44; philosophy and French), Adam Nichols (3.61; middle childhood/early adolescence education), Jacob Peterson (3.68; middle childhood/early adolescence education), Rob Rohe (3.61; radiation therapy), Andrew Rohlman (3.64; finance) and David Stilin (3.40; philosophy and rhetoric), juniors Bryan Klister (3.43; therapeutic recreation) and Nick Tehan (3.37; finance), sophomores Matthew Eidenschink (3.86; biology), Tom Linner (3.78; biology) and Matt Lorenz (3.80; accounting) as well as freshmen Matt Adams (3.42; business), Payton Hanson (3.41; undecided), Dean McGuire (3.55; biology) and Zak Wallenfang (3.50; exercise sport science) earned individual All-Academic status.