NEW ORLEANS, La. --- The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association has announced its academic awards for the 2021 NCAA Division II cross country season.

The Tusculum women's cross country team received the All-Academic Team award for maintaining a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0. Individually, senior Alex Perez and graduate student Javiera Ortiz were named as All-Academic Athletes for having GPAs of at least 3.25 and finishing in the top 30 percent at the regional championship.

The Pioneer women's cross country team has a cumulative grade-point average of 3.49 for head coach Cory Pratt, earning the All-Academic Team honor for the third straight season. The Pioneers finished eighth at the South Atlantic Conference championship and 13th at the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional this fall.

Perez, who received All-Academic Athlete honors for the second time in his career, finished 23rd at the SAC Men's Cross Country Championship and was 42nd at the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional. Perez had four Top 20 finishes during the season, including fourth at the Tusculum Open on Sept. 3 and third at the Senators Invitational on Oct. 1. Academically, the Aviles, Spain native graduated from Tusculum in December after majoring in sport management and business administration. He was a member of the SAC Commissioners and Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Rolls.

Ortiz, competing in her first season of cross country after four years on the Tusculum women's tennis team, placed 48th at the SAC Women's Cross Country Championship and was 75th at the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional. Ortiz had a third-place finish at the Senators Invitational on Oct. 1 for her best finish of the season. Ortiz, who graduated in May, 2021 from Tusculum with a bachelor's degree in entrepreneurship, is pursuing a master of business administration degree at Tusculum. The Llolleo, Chile native is also a member of the Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll.