Wingate’s Amber Hines Named Academic All-American

NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- Wingate University junior cross country runner Amber Hines (Little Mountain, S.C./Chapin HS) has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® women's cross country/track & field first team (college division), selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America). A Biology major with a perfect 4.00 GPA, Hines earns ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® honors for the second year in a row.

A third team selection in 2007, Hines is the first Bulldog cross country student-athlete to earn ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® first team laurels.

"We believe Amber Hines is All-World, both on the cross country course and in the classroom," Wingate head coach Dr. Dennis Johnson said. "She sets a very high bar for her Bulldog cross country teammates."

A three-time All-South Atlantic Conference performer, Hines led the Bulldogs to the 2007 NCAA Division II national championship meet at Missouri Southern State University in November. Wingate placed second in the 2007 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional race (at Wingate) to earn the trip to nationals. The Bulldogs also won the 2007 Food Lion SAC championship meet.

In 2007, Hines notched three top-five finishes. Her top 2007 times include an 18:47 5K (pre-national meet, Sept. 15) and a 25:30 6K (NCAA regional meet, Nov. 3). A two-time team MVP, Hines placed second at the 2006 NCAA regional meet (23:38 6K) to earn an individual spot in the national championship race.

Hines was SAC Runner of the Year in 2006, winning the Food Lion SAC championship meet with a 19:39 5K time. She had three first-place finishes during her sophomore season. She was an All-Southeast Region runner the same year.

A volunteer at a local animal hospital, Hines hopes to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. Hines won the 2007 SAC Scholar-Athlete Award, presented to one athlete from each of the conference's 14 sport programs. The award honors student-athletes who represent a combination of athletic skill, academic achievement and participation in community service and leadership activities.

Since January 1, 2000, Wingate University has produced 30 Academic All-America® selections. Wingate entered the 2007-08 academic year ranked tied for fourth among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000s. The Bulldogs have 39 Academic All-America® selections all-time, tops among schools affiliated with the South Atlantic Conference.

In addition to her status as Wingate's first cross country student-athlete to earn ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® first team laurels, Hines is also the first Bulldog harrier to earn Academic All-America® distinction twice. Wingate's previous Academic All-America® honorees include Kelli Miller (2002, third team) and Sarah Utz (2005, third team) on the women's side. Remy Nsengiyumva was a third team men's choice in 2002.

The Academic All-America® program annually honors over 1600 student-athletes who have succeeded at the highest level on the playing field and in the classroom. Individuals are selected through voting by CoSIDA, a 2,000-member organization consisting of sports public relations professionals for colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.

Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America® honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA. The program covers all NCAA championship sports.

Student-athletes selected for Academic All-America® honors must be a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletic credentials. She must possess at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.00 scale). She must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing and must have completed at least one full academic year at her institution. Student-athletes are nominated by their sports information directors.

ESPN The Magazine - winner of the 2006 and 2003 National Magazine Award for General Excellence - is a provocative and innovative sports publication. Full of insight, analysis, impact and wit, the oversized bi-weekly with a circulation of 1.9 million looks ahead to give fans a unique perspective on the world of sports.

For more information about the Academic All-America® Teams program, please visit www.cosida.com or e-mail rlipe@bentley.edu.

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a private four-year co-educational institution of 2,041 students, offering active learning opportunities through personalized instruction, international study, faith development, career discovery and community service.

Wingate offers 39 undergraduate majors in the arts and sciences, business, education, fine arts, music and sport sciences. It also offers pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, education, physical education, physician assistant studies, sport administration and the doctor of pharmacy degree.

Bulldog student-athletes compete in 17 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Athletic Excellence Award for the past two years.