NATCHITOCHES—Not only were John Klein and Lalaina Wood atop the heap for Northwestern State all throughout the cross country season, but they also did major work in the classroom.

For their work on the course and in the classroom, the pair were named to the Southland Conference All-Academic Track Teams, the league announced Thursday afternoon.

Klein, a senior from Callisburg, Texas, sported a 3.74 GPA while majoring in criminal justice with a concentration of pre-law and paralegal studies.

In his final season competing for NSU, he led the Demons in all six races he competed in and made it to the NCAA Division I South Central Region Cross Country Championships, where he ran the 10K at a 36:08.8 clip.

He continuously ran personal bests, finishing his career with a personal best time of 25:22.9 in the 8K at the SLC Championships to finish 60^th.

Klein took home three top 10 finishes this season, including two in the top three. He finished second in the 8K at the UT-Tyler Cross Country Opener, clocking a 25:58.8 and he placed third in the 5K at the McNeese Season Opener, running a 15:31.6.

The senior followed those up with a 10^th-place finish in the regular season home meet in the 6K, clocking a 19:07.3.

Like Klein, Wood led her team in every race she participated in. She finished the season with a personal best in the 6K at the SLC Championships, clocking a 24:07.1. She ran a 24:28.4 in the 6K at the Watson Collegiate Cross Country Classic.

Wood, a junior from Oak Ridge, finished 24th in the 4K at the home meet, running a 16:23.5 and posted a massive personal best in the 5K at the McNeese Cowboy Stampede, clocking a 19:24.1.

She did all that while sporting a 3.90 GPA in health and exercise science.

With the cross country season over, Klein and Wood are preparing for the start of the indoor track season, which begins Jan. 16 with the Corky Classic at Texas Tech.

 
WOMEN'S STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR:  Alicia Finnis, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, So., 3.91 GPA, Civil Engineering
 
MEN'S STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Riley Elliott, SFA,  Gr., 3.89 GPA, Business Administration 
 
MEN
EAST TEXAS A&M
Christian James, Jr., 3.81 GPA, Accounting 
 
HCU
Gavin Almaguer, Fr., 3.80 GPA, Business Administration 
Jaxon Artisst, Jr., 3.58 GPA, Business Administration 
Raphael Aureau, Sr., 3.85 GPA, Business Administration 
Colby Kurtz, Jr., 3.82 GPA, Cyber Engineering
Leandre Lahalle, Sr., 3.91 GPA, Interdisciplinary Studies
 
UIW
Kevin Hernandez, Jr., 3.26 GPA, History & Education
Eric Pineda, Sr., 4.00 GPA, Health Administration * 
Ethan Malesich, Jr., 3.87 GPA, General Business
 
LAMAR
Kenny Bibb, So., 4.00 GPA, Physics Major
Luke Parker, So., 4.00 GPA, Exercise Science
Ryan Servantes, So., 4.00 GPA, Biology
Riley Trent, Jr., 3.78 GPA, Biology
 
McNEESE
Owen Kirkland, Jr., 3.94 GPA, Chemistry
Samuel Serrano, So., 3.71 GPA, Kinesiology
Nathan Waller, Fr., 3.76 GPA, Mathematical Sciences
James Boutte, So., 3.26 GPA, Kinesiology
Gregory Martin, Fr., 3.60 GPA, Business Administration 
 
NEW ORLEANS
Mason Appleton, Sr., 3.88 GPA, Biological Sciences 
 
NICHOLLS 
William Bellina, Sr., 4.00 GPA, Business Administration 
Alex Hartline, Jr., 3.38 GPA, Culinary Arts
Ty Frazier, So., 3.40 GPA, Human Performance Education
Brady Sins, So., 4.00 GPA, Biology
Chase Walker, Sr., 4.00 GPA, Marketing
 
NORTHWESTERN STATE 
John Klein, Sr., 3.74 GPA, Criminal Justice: Pre-law & Paralegal Studies 
 
SOUTHEASTERN 
Tanner Salsman, So., 3.55 GPA, Engineering
D'Juan Joseph, Fr., 3.28 GPA, Kinesiology
 
SFA
Riley Elliott, Gr., 3.89 GPA, Business Administration 
Ryan Binskin, So., 3.38 GPA, Kinesiology
Sam Golla, 3.52 GPA, Finance
Lathan Lewter, Fr., 4.00 GPA, Kinesiology
Andrew Mullen, Jr., 3.33 GPA, Sports Business
 
TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI
Kye Lowth, So., 3.89 GPA, Communication Studies 
Diego Canto, Fr., 3.45 GPA, Management
Ewan Wheelwright, Gr., 3.27 GPA, Kinesiology
 
UTRGV 
Nirmit Dahiya, So., 3.31 GPA, Kinesiology
Abraham Morales, Sr., 3.88 GPA, Management
 
WOMEN
EAST TEXAS A&M
Edith Martinez, Fr., 3.77 GPA, Elementary Education
Haleigh Risner, Sr., 3.85 GPA, Biological Sciences
 
HCU
Reyes Carrera, Fr., 4.00 GPA, Kinesiology 
Jazlynn Estrada, Jr., 3.46 GPA, Chemistry
Cara Gary, So., 3.73 GPA, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology
Noelle Huijser, So., 4.00 GPA, Psychology
Destiny Quintanilla, Sr., 3.35 GPA, Human Resources Management
 
UIW 
Stoya Laydevant, Fr., 4.00 GPA, Nutrition 
Dianett Garcia, Jr., 4.00 GPA, Business Administration
Emily Torres, So., 3.88 GPA, Kinesiology
Sophia Keiser, Fr., 4.00 GPA, Interior Design
 
LAMAR
Ashton Rainey, Jr., 3.89 GPA, Biochemistry  
Claire Bibb, So. 3.30 GPA, Marketing
Anna Eischen, Jr., 3.48 GPA, Exercise Science
Lauren Polk, Fr., 3.70 GPA, Biology
 
McNEESE
Jeny Barcenas, Sr., 3.34, General Studies
Elsa Moore, Fr., 4.00 GPA, Agricultural Sciences 
Grace French, So., 3.58 GPA, Kinesiology
Edyn Hill, Fr., 4.00 GPA, Psychology
Uxue Castro-Martin, So. 3.34 GPA, Mechanical Engineering
 
NEW ORLEANS
Anais Sulpice, Gr., 4.00, Fiance  
Petra Imre, So., 3.87 GPA, Film and Theater Arts
Michela Papalia, So., 3.93 GPA, Human Performance and Health Promotion
 
NICHOLLS 
Isabella Sejihouwer, Jr., 3.92 GPA, Criminal Justice
Kalynn Beacom, So., 3.70 GPA, Health Science
Lotte Aerts, So. 4.00 GPA, English
Anne De Jong, Sr., 3.90 GPA, Psychology
Ana Learn Cartes, So., 3.40 GPA, Health Science
 
NORTHWESTERN STATE 
Lalaina Wood, Jr., 3.90 GPA, Health and Exercise Science
 
SOUTHEASTERN
Ava Pitarro, Jr., 4.00 GPA, Biology 
Callie Arthur, Fr., 4.00 GPA, Elementary Education
JoAnna Cornette, So., 3.94 GPA, English
Nikola Vimmerova, Jr., 3.90 GPA, General Studies
 
SFA
Gertrude Lamb, Jr., 3.44 GPA, Public Health
Garance Dubray, Gr., 4.00 GPA, Masters in Forestry 
Gracycee Wilson, So., 3.63 GPA, Sports Business
Keara Zver, Fr., 3.81 GPA, Biology
 
TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI
Alicia Finnis, So., 3.91 GPA, Civil Engineering 
Neele Heyne, So., 3.81 GPA, Psychology
Embla Hreimsdottir, So., 3.58 GPA, Psychology
Sharon Jemeli, So., 3.69 GPA, Nursing
Abbey Coverly, Jr., 4.00 GPA, University Studies
 
UTRGV 
N Vanee Anchike, Jr., 3.60 GPA, Communication 
Lilliana Guerrero, Sr., 4.00 GPA, English