CHARLESTON, S.C. - College of Charleston men's cross country had five runners named to the 2009 Southern Conference Academic All-Conference Team. In all, 22 CofC student-athletes from five fall sports were included on this year's all-conference team.
The men's cross country team had more athletes qualify for the honor this year than in the past three years combined.
Sophomore Christian Bailey (Charlotte, N.C./Ardrey Kell) led all Charleston athletes with a 3.94 grade point average. The International Business major posted the ninth-fastest time in school history in the 10K at the NCAA Southeast Regional Meet on Nov. 14 with a time of 33:24.63. He also shaved almost 52 seconds off his time from the 2008 conference tournament with his performance of 26:50.62 in the 8K race at the 2009 Southern Conference Championships at Elon on Oct. 31.
Eric Robertson (Dalzell, S.C./Thomas Sumter Academy) and David Lamberson (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) rounded out the sophomore class for the team. Robertson is a Biology major with a 3.65 GPA while Lamberson boasts a 3.49 GPA while deciding on a field of study. Both runners competed in the NCAA Southeast Regional Meet for the Cougars and Lamberson recorded a time of 34:21.86 for the 12th-fastest time in school history.
Seniors Timothy Faugl (Aiken, S.C./South Aiken) and David Thomas (Mt. Pleasant, S.C./Academic Magnet) also appear on the academic all-conference team. Faugl is the only runner with the distinction of being selected to the Southern Conference Academic All-Conference Team three consecutive years. A Physics major, he posted a 3.37 cumulative GPA after the fall season.
Thomas is a Physical Education major with a 3.35 cumulative GPA. He competed in six races for the Cougars and ran a career-best time of 26:24.8 in the 8K at the Charlotte Invitational on Oct. 2.
The SoCon Academic All-Conference Team is in its seventh year since the conference decided to split the award by season. 2009 marks the highest number of CofC student-athletes that have qualified for the honor since the Southern Conference raised the minimum cumulative grade point average to 3.2.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must possess at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA and must have competed in at least one-half of their team's competitions during the fall season. Additionally, the student-athlete must have completed at least two semesters at the institution prior to the fall season.
Christian Bailey So. 3.94 International Business
Timothy Faugl Sr. 3.37 Physics
David Lamberson So. 3.49 Undecided
Eric Robertson So. 3.65 Biology
David Thomas Sr. 3.35 Physical Education
