FRISCO ? Seniors Ryanne Dupree and Veronica Silva and junior Ashley Allen were named to the 2007 Capital One/Southland Conference Women’s Track & Field All-Academic Team, the league office announced on Monday.
Dupree, who graduated in December with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, earned her third career SLC All-Academic Team accolade after turning in one of the best seasons on record by a UTSA student-athlete in women’s track and field. She garnered All-America honors for the third time in the heptathlon with a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships on June 7-8 in Sacramento, Calif. Dupree tallied 5,773 points, her second-highest career total, to finish sixth in the field and earn her fourth overall All-America certificate (fourth-place finish in 2006 NCAA Indoor pentathlon).
In May, Dupree was named SLC Athlete of the Year and Outstanding Track Performer after scoring a meet-high 39.5 points at the SLC Outdoor in Nacogdoches. She won the heptathlon with a meet-record 5,583 points, took top honors in the 100-meter hurdles and long jump, finished second in the high jump and helped the 4x100m relay take place third. Dupree broke two school records this spring, posting 5,818 points at the Texas Relays to better her own heptathlon standard and clocking 13.25 to win the 100m hurdles at the Kansas Relays, a time she later improved to 13.23 at the NCAA Outdoor.
Silva was named to the all-academic team for the second straight season. A San Antonio Madison product, she finished eighth in the 800m at the SLC Outdoor and helped the 4x400m relay team earn all-conference accolades with a third-place showing. The 2006 SLC Outdoor 800m champion, Silva was named All-SLC after finishing third in the event at this year’s SLC Indoor. She also was all-conference in cross country during the 2005 season.
Allen picked up her first all-academic team mention after another successful year. The Buffalo Gap native won her first conference crown in the pentathlon at the SLC Indoor, scoring a career-high 3,630 points. She was the SLC Outdoor runner-up in the heptathlon and scored a career-best and NCAA provisional-qualifying 5,226 points for 10th at the Texas Relays. Allen also helped the shuttle hurdle relay team (along with Dupree) set a school record with a winning time of 56.91 at the Kansas Relays. A USATF Junior All-American, she also earned all-conference honors in the 2006 heptathlon and 2005 pentathlon.
To qualify for the all-academic team, student-athletes must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher and participate in at least 50 percent of the team’s scheduled events. Freshmen and first-year transfers are not eligible. Each member institution’s head coach, sports information director and academics coordinator are allowed to vote.
2007 Capital One/SLC Women’s Track & Field All-Academic Team
Ashley Allen, UTSA
Betsy Baldwin, Southeastern Louisiana
Shannon Brown, Sam Houston State
Dawn Comeaux, Northwestern State
Tenley Determan, Texas State
Ryanne Dupree, UTSA
Sarah Emerson, Stephen F. Austin
Leonie Ezebunam, Southeastern Louisiana
Jodi Hulett, Texas-Arlington
Amanda King, Lamar
Clerc Koenck, Lamar
Katya Kostetskaya, Texas State
Leslie Lambert, Northwestern State
Kimbri Lettkeman, Stephen F. Austin
Livdmila Litvinova, Texas State
Vanessa Maide, Texas-Arlington
Katrina Nicholas, Stephen F. Austin
Regina Offord, Sam Houston State
Linda Rosema, Texas-Arlington
Jennie Sewell, Sam Houston State *
Veronica Silva, UTSA
Ivorita Taylor, Texas-Arlington
* Student-Athlete of the Year