UW-Stevens Point Lands Three Verizon Academic All-District Selections

Three UW-Stevens Point student-athletes have been named to the Verizon Academic All-District first teams in their respective sports, giving the university a record-tying seven All-District selections in seven different sports for the 2001-02 school year.

Senior men�s track athlete Craig Gunderson and senior women�s track performer Jody Butkowski were named to the first-team All-District squads in cross country and track and field, while junior swimmer Jen Randall was named to the first-team for women�s at-large sports. All three are now eligible for Academic All-American honors. Senior Becky Lebak was named to the second team All-District in women�s track and field and cross country.

The three first-team selections join football player Nick Van Cuyk, women�s soccer player Jenny Bruce, women�s basketball player Kari Groshek and baseball player Randy Reed as first-team selections from this season. UW-Stevens Point also had seven selections in 1999-2000. Bruce and Groshek both proceeded to earn second-team Academic All-American honors.

The teams are selected from all Division II, Division III and NAIA schools in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Indiana. Ten athletes are selected in both men�s and women�s cross country and track and field, along with 10-member teams in men�s and women�s at-large sports, which includes such sports as swimming and diving, tennis, golf, ice hockey and wrestling.

Gunderson, a Waupaca High School graduate, carries a 3.74 grade point average in Elementary Education with a minor in Learning Disabilities. He was the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference scholar athlete in men�s indoor track and field and has qualified for this weekend�s NCAA Division III outdoor championships in three events. Gunderson will compete in the 400 meter dash and will also run on the 400 and 1600 meter relays. He placed fifth in the 400 meters at the 2001 Division III indoor championships and won the event at the 2001 WIAC indoor meet.

Butkowski, a Stevens Point Area Senior High graduate, has a 3.82 grade point average with an English major. She has the nation�s fourth-best triple jump this season and will also compete at this weekend�s outdoor nationals in the 400 meter relay. Butkowski is a two-time indoor All-American in the triple jump, placing second at the 2001 championships and eighth at this year�s national meet.

Randall, a Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School graduate, has the highest grade point average on the women�s at-large squad with a 3.98 GPA in Actuarial Science. She has been a member of six first-team All-American and eight conference champion relay teams. Randall has also swam on four honorable mention All-American relay teams and has been a part of two conference championship teams during her three seasons with the Pointers.