Wingate’s Dietz, Posey Earn Academic All-District III Honors

Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University cross country runners Rob Dietz (graduate student, Raleigh, N.C.) and Kristi Posey (Houston, Texas) have been named to the Academic All-District III Track and Field/Cross Country college division first team for men and women, respectively. Both Dietz and Posey are repeat selections, as both student-athletes made the 2003 Academic All-District III teams.

The members of the College Sports Information Directors of America selected the teams. The 10 first-team members will be considered for Academic All-America® honors. The District III college division includes all non-NCAA Division I colleges and universities in Florida, Georgia, Virginia and North and South Carolina.

Dietz is the first graduate student to run cross country for the Bulldogs. He has a 3.40 GPA in Wingate's MBA program. He compiled a 3.56 GPA as an undergraduate, majoring in Sport Management. A three-year letterwinner, his top 2003 time was a 28:51 (8K) in the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference meet October 25 at Wingate. The 28:51 (8K) is his career-best time.

Dietz won the Wingate University cross country team's Service Above Self award two years in a row (2004, 2003). He is a two-time member of the NCAA Division II Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic team. A South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll member every semester, Dietz earned the Wingate University Sports Sciences department outstanding senior scholar award in 2002.

During his undergraduate years, Dietz was very involved in campus life. He participated in the University and Community Assistance Network (UCAN) volunteer organization and the WU student government. Following his graduation, he was the advisor to the Wingate University Outdoor Recreation and Adventure Club.

Posey holds a perfect 4.00 GPA in her Athletic Training major. Another three-year letterwinner, Posey's top time in 2003 was a 23:25 (5K) at the prestigious Disney World Cross Country Classic October 11. She ran a 23:42 (5K) at the Food Lion SAC championships on October 25.

Her career-best time is a 20:25 (5K) at the Belmont Abbey College Invitational on October 13, 2001. A two-time member of the NCAA Division II Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic team, Posey has earned SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll laurels every semester.

Posey spent the 2003 spring semester in Denmark as part of Wingate's international study program. A Wingate University graduation marshal, Posey is a member of the Phi Eta Sigma and Alpha Chi honor societies. She has been a Peer Mentor for entering freshmen. Posey served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at Clear Brook (Texas) High School during the summer of 2003, volunteering over 100 hours.

Student-athletes selected for Academic All-District honors must be a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletic credentials. He (or she) must possess at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.00 scale). He (or she) must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing and must have completed at least one full academic year at his (or her) institution.