John Bennett Named First Team Academic All-American
6/29/2023 9:30:00 AM | Cross Country, Track and Field
PRESS RELEASE
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Cal Poly distance runner John Bennett received a prestigious honor Thursday, earning College Sports Communicators First Team Academic All-America honors.
Bennett, a graduate student, is just the second Mustang ever to garner CSC First Team Academic All-America praise. The Livermore, Calif. native was one of just 19 athletes selected to this year's Division I Academic All-America men's track & field/cross country First Team.
Bennett, who boasts a 4.0 GPA, is the 13th athlete in Cal Poly history to receive CSC Academic All-America honors and the fifth track & field/cross country athlete, joining Emily Hallett, Alex Merder, Robin Root and Jill Ellingsen. This marks the second straight year an athlete from the Cal Poly track & field and cross country program has been named CSC Academic All-America as Hallett secured Second Team praise in 2022.
Bennett walked last spring with his bachelor's in mechanical engineering and is currently working on his master's degree. During his career, Bennett has been named to the Big West All-Academic Team seven times between track & field and cross country, received Big West Commissioner's Highest Honors and was chosen as one of Cal Poly's Big West Scholar-Athletes of the Year in 2021. Last spring, Bennett was named to the 2021-22 CSC Academic All-District 8 Track & Field/Cross Country First Team.
This spring at the conference championships, Bennett captured All-Big West honors on the track for the first time, placing second in the men's 10,000-meter (30:32.49). In the fall of 2022, Bennett earned All-Big West honors in cross country for the second time in his career, placing 10th overall to help the Cal Poly men capture their 18th Big West title. He went on to finish 36th overall at the NCAA West Regionals with a personal-best 10K time, helping the Mustangs secure their highest finish (eighth) at the meet since 2013.
Bennett, who was named Big West XC Freshman of the Year in 2019, will return this fall for his sixth and final year with the cross country team.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Cal Poly distance runner John Bennett received a prestigious honor Thursday, earning College Sports Communicators First Team Academic All-America honors.
Bennett, a graduate student, is just the second Mustang ever to garner CSC First Team Academic All-America praise. The Livermore, Calif. native was one of just 19 athletes selected to this year's Division I Academic All-America men's track & field/cross country First Team.
Bennett, who boasts a 4.0 GPA, is the 13th athlete in Cal Poly history to receive CSC Academic All-America honors and the fifth track & field/cross country athlete, joining Emily Hallett, Alex Merder, Robin Root and Jill Ellingsen. This marks the second straight year an athlete from the Cal Poly track & field and cross country program has been named CSC Academic All-America as Hallett secured Second Team praise in 2022.
Bennett walked last spring with his bachelor's in mechanical engineering and is currently working on his master's degree. During his career, Bennett has been named to the Big West All-Academic Team seven times between track & field and cross country, received Big West Commissioner's Highest Honors and was chosen as one of Cal Poly's Big West Scholar-Athletes of the Year in 2021. Last spring, Bennett was named to the 2021-22 CSC Academic All-District 8 Track & Field/Cross Country First Team.
This spring at the conference championships, Bennett captured All-Big West honors on the track for the first time, placing second in the men's 10,000-meter (30:32.49). In the fall of 2022, Bennett earned All-Big West honors in cross country for the second time in his career, placing 10th overall to help the Cal Poly men capture their 18th Big West title. He went on to finish 36th overall at the NCAA West Regionals with a personal-best 10K time, helping the Mustangs secure their highest finish (eighth) at the meet since 2013.
Bennett, who was named Big West XC Freshman of the Year in 2019, will return this fall for his sixth and final year with the cross country team.
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