BATON ROUGE – Three members of LSU’s middle distance group have been recognized by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for their outstanding athletic and academic performance while earning USTFCCCA All-Academic honors from the organization for the 2017 collegiate season.
Senior Morgan Schuetz, an All-American and SEC Champion 800-meter runner in her LSU career, claimed her fourth-straight USTFCCCA All-Academic selection, while sophomore Erika Lewis and freshman Ruby Stauber each picked up their first career all-academic award from the organization.
Schuetz became an All-SEC runner for the sixth time in her collegiate career when she earned the title of SEC Indoor Silver Medalist in the mile while becoming LSU’s new school-record holder in the event.
The 2016 SEC Indoor Champion in the 800 meters, Schuetz elected to run the mile at the conference meet in her senior season and crossed the finish line as the fastest Lady Tiger in history at the distance with a best of 4 minutes, 38.45 seconds. She followed her performance at the SEC meet by lining up in semifinal qualifying at the NCAA Indoor Championships where she placed ninth nationally for the 2017 season.
Stauber took home her first career All-America honor at the NCAA Indoor Championships as she was the fifth-place finisher nationally in the women’s 800-meter final while running an indoor PR of 2:03.01. Also the SEC Indoor and SEC Outdoor Silver Medalist in the 800 meters, Stauber was an NCAA semifinalist outdoors in the event to cap her rookie season at LSU.
Lewis enjoyed an outstanding sophomore season with the Lady Tigers while setting personal bests of 2:08.41 in the 800 meters, 4:28.84 in the 1,500 meters and 4:54.43 between the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Lewis teamed with Stauber and Schuetz in running the distance medley relay at the NCAA Indoor Championships as the Lady Tigers finished 10th nationally in the event for the second-straight season. Both Stauber and Schuetz were also part of LSU’s school-record-setting DMR at the Alex Wilson Invitational where they teamed with Travia Jones and Hollie Parker to clock 10:57.66 to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships.
In order to qualify for USTFCCCA All-Academic status for 2015, a student-athlete must have maintained a 3.25 cumulative grade-point average during their respective collegiate careers.
They must also have met either of the athletic criteria set by the USTFCCCA. A student-athlete must have finished the regular season indoors ranked in the national Top 96 in an individual event or ranked in the Top 48 (collective listing) in a relay event on the official NCAA performance list provided by TFRRS.org, or participated in any round of an event at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.