June 1, 2006

OXFORD, Ohio - Two Miami University men's track athletes have been named to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District IV Cross Country/Track and Field Team as the winners from the eight districts were announced. Senior hurdler Bobby Houston (Hilliard, Ohio) was tabbed as a first-team all-district selection, while senior distance runner Chris Swisher (Milan, Ind.) earned second-team plaudits.

Houston, who holds a 3.92 grade-point average in zoology, earned his first career all-district honor after completing a successful senior season as Miami's top 400-meter hurdler. During the outdoor season, Houston ran the top Miami time in the 400-meter hurdles (54.53) and notched his lone individual win of the season at the Southern Ohio Cup. At the conference meet, Houston finished eighth with a time of 54.20, earning one team point. An all-Mid-American Conference academic selection each of the past two seasons, Houston scored at the conference meet in his final three seasons in the Red and White and was a regional qualifier in the 400-meter hurdles as a junior.

Swisher, who owns a 3.37 grade-point average in Environmental Science/Life Science Education, added the all-district selection to a long list of accolades he earned during his senior season. A 2005 Cross Country All-American, Swisher was two-time MAC Runner of the Week (Sept. 14/Oct .18) and Miami's top finisher in season's first four cross country races. Swisher placed third at the Mid-American Conference Championship, and he also earned all-MAC first team and all-MAC academic honors. During the outdoor track and field season, Swisher was a NCAA Regional Qualifier in the 1,500 meters and scored in the event with a sixth-place finish at the conference meet. Swisher also posted the top Miami time in the 3,000 meters (8:33.80) and the second-fastest time in the 1,500 meters (3:46.85).

Four student-athletes from the MAC were honored on the all-district teams, with Kent State and Akron each placing one representative on the team in District IV. In addition to Houston and Swisher from Miami, Phil Rickaby of Kent State and Matt Yankie of Akron were also selected to the all-district squad.

With his first-team all-district selection, Houston is now eligible for the All-American ballot. The CoSIDA Academic All-American team for track and field and cross country will be announced June 20.

To be eligible for the CoSIDA Academic All-District team, student-athletes must have at least a cumulative GPA of 3.20 and have sophomore standing. District IV includes Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Alabama and Tennessee.

CoSIDA Academic All-District IV Team
Men's Track and Field/Cross Country

FIRST TEAM

Brian Babcock, MOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY, Sr., 4.00 GPA (University Studies)
Jarrod Davis, YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY, Gr., 3.70 GPA (Computer Information Systems)
Ian Mayne, TENNESSEE-CHATTANOOGA, UNIVERSITY OF, Sr., 3.86 GPA (Pre-Med)
Kevin Dick, WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY, Sr., 3.91 GPA (Electrical Engineering)
Matt Yankie, AKRON, UNIVERSITY OF, Sr., 3.80 GPA (Chemical Engineering)
Nathan Egger, MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, Sr., 3.97 GPA (Physiology)
Jeff Fedler, ALABAMA, UNIVERSITY OF, Sr., 3.92 GPA (Marketing)
Bobby Houston, MIAMI UNIVERSITY, Sr., 3.92 GPA (Zoology)
Andrew Heath, AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Sr., 3.84 GPA (Civil Engineering)
Zach Sabatino, TENNESSEE, UNIVERSITY OF, Sr., 3.79 GPA (Sport management)
Chris Helwick, TENNESSEE, UNIVERSITY OF, Jr., 3.60 GPA (Business/economics)

SECOND TEAM

Nicholas Reeves, KENTUCKY, UNIVERSITY OF, Jr., 4.00 GPA (Marketing)
Chris Swisher, MIAMI UNIVERSITY, Sr., 3.37 E(nvironmental Sciences/Life Science Education)
Eric Contreras, DAYTON, UNIVERSITY OF, Jr., 3.97 GPA (Economics, Marketing, Spanish)
Jacob Korir, EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY, So., 3.5 GPA (Chemistry)
Matt Bartlebaugh, MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, Jr., 3.94 GPA (History)
Andrew Hayner, DETROIT MERCY, UNIVERSITY OF, So., 4.0 GPA (Political Science and History)
Phil Rickaby, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY, Jr., 3.69 GPA (Exercise Science)
Leonard Jatsek, OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, So., 3.46 GPA (Agriculture)
Steven Thieme, MOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY, Jr., 3.90 GPA (Business Administration)
Andrew Smith, CINCINNATI, UNIVERSITY OF, Jr., 3.84 GPA (Industrial Management)