Nov. 18, 2008

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--University of Maine cross country student-athletes Miles Barlett (Casco, Maine), Charles Therriault (Clinton, Mass.) and Corey Bean (Cornville, Maine) were named to the men's America East All-Academic team on Tuesday, Nov. 18. The Black Bears were recognized for both their outstanding academic standing and contributions to their team.

Therriault is a senior with a 3.80 gpa as a double-major in Biology and Parks Recreation and Tourism. At the America East Championships Therriault finished in 26:50.6, good for 29th place.

Barlett is a junior Kinesiology major who has maintained a 3.46 gpa. Barlett finished 69th with a time of 25:53 at the New England Championships and placed 25th at the America East Championships with a time of 26:43.1.

Bean is also a junior, majoring in English with a 3.80 gpa. Bean ran the America East Championships in 27:29.8, good for 44th place.

The All-Academic squads are a product of the June 2005 Athletics Director meetings, where faculty representatives and athletics directors from each of the conference's nine member institutions decided to honor the league's top student-athletes, whom excel equally in the classroom as they do on the playing field.

For the last two academic years, the All-Academic Team has been selected based on a formula. Starting this year, America East has adopted a more objective approach based on feedback from various coaches' groups and administrators and approval by the athletic directors. The process will now resemble the CoSIDA's Academic All-America program. Student-athletes worthy of consideration will now be nominated by member sports information directors and voted on by committee of SIDs, academic advisors and faculty representatives from all nine member institutions.

All-Academic squads for team sports are based on the number of athletes that participate in a contest at one time (e.g., 11 on the field for soccer). To be nominated for the distinction, student-athletes must be a starter or important reserve for their team and participate in at least 50 percent of their team's games or competitions. In the classroom, student-athletes must have a 3.30 GPA and have completed at least one calendar year at their institution. Freshman are not eligible for consideration.

-U-M-