Aug. 3, 2011

NEW ORLEANS--Memphis' Tom Willcox was named to the 2011 United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Men's Individual All-Academic List, the organization announced in a release Wednesday. This is the first USTFCCCA All-Academic nod for the U of M shot putter and the first male Tiger to garner the honor since Steffen Nerdal in 2008.

To wrap up the 2011 Outdoor season, Willcox set a personal-best in the shot put with a 17.12m (56' 2"), finishing fourth and qualifying for the NCAA East Regional. In his first-ever regional appearance, the Coquitlam, British Columbia native finished 34th with a 16.19m (53' 1.5") toss.

In the classroom, the rising junior boasts a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average as he pursues a degree in journalism with a concentration in public relations.

"This is a tremendous honor for Tom and he is most deserving of this award," Memphis head coach Kevin Robinson said. "I'm very proud of what Tom has accomplished both on and off the track. He is a dedicated student athlete who represents the Track and Field program, the Athletic department, and the University of Memphis with dignity."

To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.25 and have met either of the following athletic standards: for the indoor season, a student-athlete must have finished the regular season ranked in the national top 96 in an individual event or ranked in the national top 48 (collective listing) in a relay event on the official NCAA POP list provided by TFRRS.org; for the outdoor season, a student-athlete must have participated in any round of the NCAA Division I Championships (including preliminary rounds).

The complete men's individual All-Academic list can be found by clicking here.