2023 ASUN All-Academic Team
ATLANTA - Pedro Garcia-Palencia became the first student-athlete in EKU program history to claim the ASUN Conference Men's Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor, announced Wednesday by the league office. Garcia-Palencia highlighted the league's 12-person All-Academic team.
A native of Spain, Garcia-Palencia earned the distinction after recording a perfect 4.00 cumulative GPA while working towards his degree in Exercise and Sport Science. He earned a silver medal in the 3,000-Meter Steeplechase with a personal-best time of 8:40.68 at the ASUN Outdoor Championship. The senior ranks #2 in the ASUN, #9 in the region, and #19 in the country in the 3,000-Meter Steeplechase.
The All-Academic Team recognizes student-athletes who excel both on the track and in the classroom, exemplifying ASUN's mission of Building Winners for Life. All team members boast a 3.50 cumulative grade point average or better and participated in at least half of their team's events.
2023 ASUN Men's Outdoor Track and Field All-Academic Team
Pedro Garcia-Palencia, EKU (Sr. | 4.00 | Benicassim, Spain | Exercise & Sport Science)
Liam Kaune, EKU (Jr. | 4.00 | Fort Knox, Ky. | Recreation & Park Administration)
Enock Kipchumba, EKU (Gr. | 3.68 | Eldoret, Kenya | Computer Science)
Malik Hussie#, Kennesaw State (Sr. | 3.75 | Newnan, Ga. | Management)
Isaiah Rogers, Kennesaw State (Gr. | 3.55 |Smyrna, Ga. | American Studies)
Christian Hicks, Liberty (R-Fr. | 3.82 | Romney, W. Va. | Business Finance & Economics)
Ben Shughart, Liberty (So. | 4.00 | Shippensburg, Pa. | Interdisciplinary Studies)
Ethan Mylin, Liberty (So. | 3.84 | Lancaster, Pa. | Mechanical Engineering)
John Hicks#, Liberty (Jr. | 3.78 | Romney, W. Va. | Exercise Science)
Bill Comstock, Lipscomb (Sr. | 4.00 | Falls Church, Va.| Psychology)
Macauley Franks, North Florida (Gr. | 3.71 | Lake Forest Park, Wash. | Management)
Aidan O'Gorman#, North Florida (Sr. | 3.67 | New Smyrna Beach, Fla. | Civil Engineering)
# - Denotes a two-time selection to the All-Academic Team
ASUN Conference, Atlanta - the only DI conference headquartered in the ATL, our footprint's primary media, sports, business, transportation and cultural hub
The ASUN, a Division I conference member of the NCAA, boasts a membership of institutions that share visionary leadership, bold ambition and creative innovation. As a nimble adaptive conference, unafraid to blaze a national pathway for better service to our student-athletes, teams, and institutions, the ASUN has a proud history of firsts, national academic and athletic achievements and a conference culture that walks the walk with its four ASUN Beams. Students First! Rise. Connect. Impact. #ASUNBuilt by Austin Peay (Clarksville, Tenn.), Bellarmine (Louisville, Ky.), Central Arkansas (Conway, Ark.), EKU (Richmond, Ky.), FGCU (Fort Myers, Fla.), Jacksonville (Fla.), Jacksonville State (Jacksonville, Ala.), Kennesaw State (Ga.), Liberty (Lynchburg, Va.), Lipscomb (Nashville, Tenn.), North Alabama (Florence, Ala.), North Florida (Jacksonville, Fla.), Queens (Charlotte, N.C.) and Stetson (DeLand, Fla.).