UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. --- Tusculum College sophomore David Cooper has been named to the 2012-13 Capital One Division II Academic All-District 3 Men's Cross Country/Track & Field first team as selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Cooper, a native of Greeneville, Tenn. boasts a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade point average while majoring in biology.

Cooper advances to the Academic All-America® ballot, which will be announced next month.

This past season, he finished in the top-20 in all eight races, including two individual titles at the Warren Wilson Invitational and the Maryville Invitational. He finished fourth at the South Atlantic Conference championship with an 8,000-meter time of 27:11.3, earning him a spot on the All-SAC first team. He followed that with a 19th-place performance at the NCAA II Southeast Regional and solidifying his position on the All-Region squad.

Cooper's 8K time of 26:43 at the Bulldog Invitational was a career-best and tied for the 11th lowest in program history.

The Chuckey-Doak High School graduate finished fourth or better in five straight events this past fall, including runner-up honors at the Carson-Newman Challenge. He has also been named his team's most valuable runner in each of his first two Tusculum campaigns.

Cooper is a member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll, Dean's List, President's List and Charles Oliver Gray Honors List.

He is very active on campus and in the community as he served as vice president and secretary of the Pioneer Student Athlete Advisory Committee. He has also served as a peer tutor, YMCA summer camp counselor and has assisted with several fundraising activities in assisting the American Cancer Society and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Members of the Capital One Academic All-District 3 Team are selected by CoSIDA, which includes all colleges and universities in the South Atlantic Conference, Conference Carolinas and Peach Belt Conference.

To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.

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 2012‐13 DII and DIII Academic All-America® teams program.

- CoSIDA -

2012-13 Capital One Division II Academic All-District 3 Men's Cross Country/Track & Field First Team
Luke Beasley, Limestone
Binyam Ateka Belachew, Wingate
Eric Blackburn, Mars Hill
David Cooper, Tusculum
Christian Crifasi, Catawba
Steve Hammond, Wingate
Philip Laskey, Georgia College
Nick Mac Adam, Mount Olive
Bradley Maldonado, Lincoln Memorial
Corey Mundy, Flagler
Pardon Ndhlovu, UNC Pembroke