Dewitt Voted To Academic All-America Team

Success as both a student and athlete earned UW-Oshkosh's John Dewitt (So. • Oshkosh) a mention on the 2011 Capital One Academic All-America® College Division Men's Track & Field/Cross Country Team.

Dewitt, a third-team selection, was one of 45 men named to the three squads. The teams were selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The College Division consists of all National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II and III, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and two-year schools in the United States and Canada.

After placing 12th at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Cross Country Championship, Dewitt ran to a 19th-place result at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional. He concluded the cross country season by finishing 83rd at the NCAA Division III Championship. Dewitt's performance at the national meet helped UW-Oshkosh to an 11th-place finish in the team standings.

In track and field, Dewitt was a member of UW-Oshkosh teams that finished fourth at the NCAA Division III Indoor and 10th at the NCAA Division III Outdoor championships. Competing at the WIAC championships, Dewitt placed fourth in the indoor 5,000-meter run and sixth in the outdoor 10,000-meter run.

Dewitt owns a 4.00 cumulative grade point average as a mathematics major. He is also a member of the University Honors Program, Segregated Fees Committee, Campus Crusade and Athletes in Action. Last fall, Dewitt was named to to the NCAA Division III Men's Cross Country All-Academic Team by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Five individuals from the WIAC collected Academic All-America® status, the highest total in league history. UW-La Crosse had a pair of representatives as Paul Yerhot was named to the first team and Sean Harrington to the second. UW-Platteville's Nathan Petesch and UW-Whitewater's David Schneekloth were third-team selections.

Dewitt becomes the fourth UW-Oshkosh men's cross country/track and field athlete to receive CoSIDA Academic All-America® honors. He follows Dave Lambert (1992), Dan Kramer (1996 & 1997) and Eamon McKenna (2002 & 2003). Since the inception of the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Program in 1952, 48 UW-Oshkosh student-athletes have combined to total 60 awards.

To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his current institution and be nominated by his sports information director.