NEW ORLEANS -- Guided by their efforts in and out of the classroom, Samantha Dickerson, Monica Lannen, and Jason Putnam earned a spot on the National All-Academic Cross Country Team, which was announced on Thursday afternoon by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
 
Lannen earned the national distinction for the third consecutive season, while Putnam was celebrated for the second straight year. Meanwhile, Dickerson picked up the award for the first time in her career.
 
In order to earn the award, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher and finish in the top 25 percent at their respective regional championship.
 
Along with the individual honorees, the women's cross country squad was also named a National All-Academic Team. To earn that distinction, a team must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.10 while registering a score at an NCAA Regional Meet.
 
Leading the academic achievers, Lannen continued starring both in the classroom and on the course in 2018. During her junior campaign, the Reston, Virginia native placed 14th at the South / Southeast Regional Championships. In addition to earning All-Region honors for that performance, she also picked up first-team All-CAC nods after coming in third at the conference title meet.
 
Also starring on the women's side, Dickerson joined Lannen on the All-Conference squad in the fall. The junior nabbed second-team accolades after placing 10th at the championship competition. Two weeks later, the Midlothian, Virginia native continued her efforts at the regional meet after crossing the line in 50th at the South / Southeast Championships.
 
Leading the men, Putnam was equally impressive at the regional competition in the fall. Securing All-South / Southeast Region honors for the second straight year, the junior finished 31st at the title meet. That showing capped off a strong fall for the Fuquay Varina, North Carolina native after he also came in 18th at the CAC Championships.
 
Along with their work with the cross country team, Dickerson is majoring in communication studies at CNU, Lannen is a management major, and Putnam is studying neuroscience.
 
---CNU---