JACKSONVILLE - The Jacksonville State women's track and field program has been named an All-Academic Team for the 2017-18 year, announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
 
To be recognized as a USTFCCCA All-Academic Team, a program must achieve a 3.00 cumulative GPA for the previous academic year, which the Gamecocks exceeded finishing with a 3.55 team GPA.
 
The award marks the seventh time in the past nine years head coach Steve Ray's squad has earned All-Academic status from the USTFCCCA, but the 2017-18 campaign goes down as a program best with the Gamecocks cracking the top 25 nationally. JSU led all eight Ohio Valley Conference teams that earned the honor, just edging Southeast Missouri (3.54) and Morehead State (3.52). Additionally, Jax State's GPA was the highest among all Division I teams in the state of Alabama, ahead of the second-place Crimson Tide with a 3.53.
 
The Gamecocks matched their success in the classroom with a breakout season on the track and in the field as well, breaking seven school records during the women's outdoor season. New standards were set in the long jump, triple jump, pole vault, discus, javelin, hammer and 100-meter hurdles. JSU had its first NCAA Regional qualifier since 2012 with Marelly Balentina placing 28th in the javelin throw in Tampa, Fla.
 
USTFCCCA Women's Track & Field Top 25 Team GPAs
1. San Francisco         3.76
2. Lipscomb                3.72
3. Idaho                       3.69
4. St. Francis               3.66
5. Hartford                  3.65
   IUPUI                       3.65
7. Butler                      3.64
   George Washington 3.64
   South Dakota           3.64
10. Stanford                3.61
11. Georgetown           3.60
     Northern Kentucky  3.60
     Portland                  3.60
     Tulane                     3.60
15.  DePaul                 3.59
     Harvard                  3.59
17. Marist                    3.58
     Quinnipiac              3.58
     Wright State            3.58
20. American               3.56
     Brown                      3.56
     Utah State               3.56
     Vanderbilt                3.56
24. Boise State             3.55
     Iowa State               3.55
     Jacksonville State    3.55
     Robert Morris           3.55