Wake Forest Athletics
Four Deacons Named to All-ACC Academic Cross Country Teams
2/21/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Feb. 21, 2012
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Nicole Irving of the Wake Forest women's cross country team, and Paul Loeser, Garret Drogosch, and Tom Finneran of the men's squad were named to the 2011 All-ACC Academic Cross Country Teams as announced Tuesday morning by ACC Commissioner John D. Swofford.
To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during his or her academic career. Additionally, student-athletes must have participated in a certain amount of meets throughout the season, in addition to competing in the NCAA Regional meet.
A sophomore chemistry major from Ballston Lake, N.Y., Irving earns the honor for the second time of her career. After posting one of the most successful freshman campaigns in Wake Forest history in 2010, Irving followed up during the 2011 season with another strong series of races.
Irving was named to the NCAA All-Region team after finishing 14th overall at the NCAA Southeast Regional, and she earned All-ACC honors after finishing ninth overall and first among Wake Forest runners at the ACC Championships. Irving also cracked the 17-minute mark (5k) for the first time in her career, finishing in a time of 16:54.9 at the Charlotte Invitational in late September.
Loeser, a senior biology and Spanish double-major from Winston-Salem, has excelled tremendously in the classroom and in cross country throughout his four years at Wake Forest. Loeser opened the 2011 season with a second-place overall finish at the Covered Bridge Open, and he proved a strong leader for the Demon Deacon cross country squad throughout the entire season.
Loeser turned in a season-best time of 24:40.7 (8k) at the ACC Championships to place third among Wake Forest runners, and he also finished third on the squad at the NCAA Regionals. Loeser has accepted a teaching position next year with the prestigious Teach for America program, and he also hopes to coach cross country at his respective school.
Drogosch, a junior accountancy major from Westlake Village, California, is receiving the award for the third time of his career. He proved the strongest and most consistent runner on the Wake Forest squad throughout the entire season, and his tireless work ethic translated to immediate success in competition.
Drogosch placed first among Wake Forest runners in all five meets that he raced in during the year, and he recorded three top-ten overall finishes in those meets. Drogosch set a new personal-best 8k time of 23:59.9 at the ACC Championships en route to finishing 18th overall.
A junior accountancy major from Scituate, Massachusetts, Finneran earns the award for the first time of his career. He played an integral role on the Wake Forest cross country squad this season, including a second-place team finish at the season-opening Covered Bridge Open.
Finneran notched a season-best 8k time of 24:48.0 at the ACC Championships, and he placed sixth on the squad at the NCAA Southeast Regional in a time of 32:41.6 (10k).
Players Mentioned
