TOWSON, Md. --- Tusculum College's Jenny Grant has been named to the 2011-2012 Capital One Academic All-America® Division II Women's Cross Country/Track Third Team, as selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Grant, a junior from Franklin, Tenn., becomes the third female runner in Tusculum cross country history to garner Academic All-America® distinction, joining Heather Rhoton (1999-2000) and Sarah Alston (2006-2007).

Grant boasts a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade point average while majoring in Psychology.

Grant proved to be Tusculum's most consistent competitors on the Pioneer squad in 2011. She finished in the top-30 on two occasions, including a 17th place finish at the Maryville Invitational and 26th at the Guilford College Cross Country Festival. The two-time team most valuable runner followed with her best 5K time of the year at the Lenoir-Rhyne Invitational with a time of 23:13.3 to finish 49th. She was also TC's top finisher at the South Atlantic Conference Championship posting a 54th place finish.

She is a member SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, the Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll, the Dean's List, Charles Olive Gray Honors List, the Tusculum President's List and Alpha Chi Honor Society. She is a two-time recipient of the Duffield Award, which honors the Tusculum student-athlete the highest GPA.

In the classroom, she is involved in research with the Psychology Department and presented her findings at the 2012 Southeastern Psychology Association (SEPA) National Conference.

In the community, Grant serves as a peer tutor and is a member of the President's Society where she serves as a student ambassador, provides campus tours to prospective students and represents students at Presidential board meetings. She also serves as president of the Resident Hall Association and is a member of the TC Track & Field Club.

Other community service activities includes: Voices Against Violence, Psychology Club, International & Multicultural Club, Plaza Towers Retirement Home volunteer, New Hope Cemetery volunteer and the Southeastern Guide Dogs Association, where she has assisted with the raising of a guide dog for those in need.

Within the athletic department, she serves as vice president of the Pioneer Student Athlete Advisory Council (PSAAC) and is also on the Tusculum Student Government Judicial Board.

Grant becomes the sixth Tusculum student-athlete to earn Academic All-America® honors this year, joining Cody Coffman (baseball), Jillian Corum (women's golf), Taylor Rakes (baseball), Ashley Sarmiento (volleyball) and Luis Zamora (men's tennis).

This is the first year of the expanded Academic All-America® program as CoSIDA moves from recognizing a University Division (Division I) and a College Division (all non-Division I) and doubles the number of scholar-athletes honored. The teams include NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III participants, while the College Division team combines NAIA, Canadian and two-year schools.

The Capital One Division II and III Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures, to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2011-12 DII and DIII Academic All-America® teams program.

- CoSIDA -

2011-12 Capital One Academic All-America® Division II Women's Cross Country/Track Team
FIRST TEAM
Hope Christie, Wisconsin-Parkside
Betsy Graney, Grand Valley State
Kate Griewisch, Lenoir-Rhyne
Kristen Hixson, Grand Valley State
Shelby Janutol, Ferris State
Lauren Kleppin, Western State
Lindsay Lettow, Central Missouri
Rose Mascoli, East Stroudsburg
Katelyn Mona, Emporia State
Christina Muir, Ferris State
Rachel Patterson, Grand Valley State
Marie Patton, Colorado School of Mines
Neely Spence, Shippensburg
Amy Varsell, Bentley
Jennifer Zweifel, Truman State

SECOND TEAM
Deborah Amos, Charleston
Tabitha Bemis, Edinboro
Nicole Brungardt, Wayne State (Mich.)
Kristin Cameron, Northwood
Corinne Fitzgerald, East Stroudsburg
Laurie Hall, California (Pa.)
Hilary Hurst, Colorado School of Mines
Erin Kling, California (Pa.)
Lindsay Lippencott, Wingate
Makayla McPhail, Fort Hays State
Kayla Muyskens, Central Missouri
Natty Plunkett, Seattle Pacific
Cathryn Rittenberry, Angelo State
Jenna Schmidt, Central Missouri
Kara Styles, Slippery Rock

THIRD TEAM
Jill Alves, Stonehill
Bidemi Balogun, American International
Mikayla Barondeau, Northern State
Jenny Grant, Tusculum
Nicole Green, Missouri Southern State
Katy Gross, Seattle Pacific
Jackie Henderson, Southern Indiana
Shavine Hodges, Grand Canyon
Alison Hougen, Bemidji State
Paige Pollard, Wayne State
Chrystal Ruiz, Angelo State
Emma Shell, Southwest Baptist
Heidi Smith, Pittsburg State
Sara Wagner, Shippensburg
Ali Worthen, Seattle Pacific

Academic All-American of the Year: Betsy Graney, Grand Valley State