NCAA CHAMPION Charles Hicks was named winner of the NCAA Division I Scholar Athlete of the Year award for men's cross country, earning the honor from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association on Thursday.
Stanford has won the award seven times in the 17 years of its existence, with Hicks becoming the first Cardinal winner since Grant Fisher won the second of back-to-back honors in 2017 and the fifth different winner from Stanford. No other school has had more than two. Previous Stanford winners were Sean McGorty (2015), Chris Derrick (2010, 2011), and Neftalem Araia (2006).
Hicks, a seven-time All-America in cross country and track, became the first from Stanford to win an NCAA individual cross-country title, including men and women. Hicks won the title on November 19 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, covering Oklahoma State's Greiner Family Cross Country Course in a course record 28:43.6 over 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) while leading Stanford to fourth place.
A cognitive science major from Jacksonville, Florida, carries a 3.473 cumulative grade-point average on a 4.0 scale. Hicks, the two-time Pac-12 cross country champ, is a senior academically and a junior in athletic eligibility.
Hicks joins NCAA women's champ Katelyn Tuohy of North Carolina State as the individual winners.
To qualify for the honor, runners must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 and finish in the top 25 (or 10 percent) at regionals or in the top 40 (All-American) at the NCAA Championships.
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All-Academic selections:
Hicks was joined by teammates Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau, Thomas Boyden, Evan Burke, Devin Hart, and Ky Robinson among men's All-Academic selections. Stanford's six selections were the most in the country.
The Cardinal men, with a 3.569 GPA, was among those receiving All-Academic Team honors.
Stanford had five All-Academic women's selections: Abi Archer, Audrey DaDamio, Zofia Dudek, Lucy Jenks, Riley Stewart, and Audrey Suarez.
The Cardinal women carried a 3.763 team GPA and also were among those receiving All-Academic Team honors.
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Here are Stanford's All-Academic award winners, with their academic years and majors listed (eligibility years may differ):
Men
Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau, 5th sr., human biology
Thomas Boyden, jr., computer science
Evan Burke, sr., human biology
Devin Hart, sr., management science and engineering
Charles Hicks, sr., cognitive science
Ky Robinson, jr., management science and engineering
Women
Abi Archer, sr., bioengineering
Audrey DaDamio, so., undeclared
Zofia Dudek, jr., bioengineering
Lucy Jenks, jr., science, technology, and society
Riley Stewart, fr., undeclared
Audrey Suarez, so., undeclared
