NEW ORLEANS — The 2020 Cross Country All-Academic teams were announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on April 1, and to no surprise, Saint Mary's makes multiple appearances on the lists. Both the men's and women's teams qualified as All-Academic teams
 
This year, 220 men's teams and 255 women's teams were honored by the USTFCCCA for having met the qualifications. In order to qualify for All-Academic distinction, teams must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period.
 
The SMC men racked up a cumulative GPA of 3.303 while the women's team compiled a 3.423 overall GPA. This marks the fourth straight year that both teams at Saint Mary's have picked up this honor from the USTFCCCA.
 
Pepperdine holds the distinction of taking home the highest GPA on the men's side, tying with Boise State at 3.76. Another school from Idaho (University of Idaho) took home the top honor on the women's side with a team GPA of 3.87. Northern Arizona and BYU won the men's and women's scholar teams of the year, respectively, after both qualifying and then winning the Cross Country championships in March.
 
"For the past ten years, the Saint Mary's Men's and Women's Cross Country teams have earned NCAA All-Academic honors," head coach Marty Kinsey mentioned. "Saint Mary's continues to be a place where student-athletes can excel in the classroom and in sport. The dedication given by these young future leaders continues to impress."