A-10 Announces Five Spiders on Cross Country Academic All-Conference Team

Andrew Benford
SUPPORTING DATA/ACADEMIC BACKGROUND:
GPA for entire collegiate career: 3.43
Major: Psychology & Religion double-major

- Finished 1st at the 2010 Atlantic-10 Conference Cross Country Championships - set new course record (24:12) for 8K...
- 2010 Atlantic-10 Conference Men’s Performer of the Year and 1st team All-Conference honoree..
- Finished 3rd at the Paul Short Invitational (23:52) for 8K; received A10 Men’s Performer of the Week following...
- Redshirted 2009; was an Cross Country All-Conference performer in 2008
-2009 led the USA team with his 13th place finish at the IAAF World Mountain Running Championships..
-Named the 2009 West Virginia Track Athlete of the Year by the WV Sportswriters...
-Named the 2009 Atlantic 10 Conference Track Athlete of the Year for winning the 5K and 3K steeplechase at the outdoor track & field championships...
-2009 USTFCCA Scholar Athlete in track & field (NCAA All-Academic Team)...
-Represented the United States at the 2006 World Mountain Running Championships in Bursa, Turkey where he placed 12th overall which was the highest ever placing for a US Junior (under 20)... Also led Team USA to their highest ever team finish at the time...
-Has helped the Spider men’s cross country and track & field teams earn 8th consecutive NCAA All-Academic Team honors...
-Read more on ANDREW BENFORD

Matt Llano
SUPPORTING DATA/ACADEMIC BACKGROUND:
GPA for entire collegiate career
Major: Psychology, Spanish & Theatre triple-major

- Finished 3rd (24:23) at the 2010 Atlantic-10 Conference XC Championships and broke the course record...
- 2010 Atlantic-10 1st team All-Conference honoree
- Finished 21st at 2010 Pre-Nationals 8K (24:04.9); Named Atlantic 10 Conference Men’s Performer of the Week following...
- Finished 6th at Paul Short Invitational 8K (24:01)...

- 2008: an All-Conference performer (Atlantic-10 Conference Runner-Up)...
-2008 Atlantic-10 Conference Cross Country Student-Athlete of the Year...
-2010 NCAA All-American in the 10,000M by placing 9th at the NCAA Track & Field Championships in Eugene, OR...
-2010 NCAA All- Region in the 10,000M by placing 4th at the NCAA East Super Regional Track & Field Championships in Greensboro, NC...
- Placed eighth in the 10,000 meter run at the 2010 Stanford Track & Field Invitational with his season-best time of 28:51.69...
-2010 Atlantic 10 Conference Champion in the 10K (29:43.12) setting a meet record in the process, returned to place 2nd in the 5K....

-2010 Atlantic 10 Conference Champion in the 3K, after placing 2nd in the 5K...

-Ran 14:11.19 in the 5,000M at the Alex Wilson Indoor T&F Invitational at Notre Dame...
-2010 USTFCCA Scholar Athlete in track & field (NCAA All-Academic team member)
-2008 NCAA Championships qualifier in cross country/NCAA All-Region (7th place) in XC...
-2008 USTFCCA Scholar Athlete in cross country (NCAA All-Academic team member)...
-Has helped the Spider men’s cross country and track & field teams earn 8th consecutive NCAA All-Academic Team honors...

-Read more on MATT LLANO

Tim Quinn
SUPPORTING DATA/ACADEMIC BACKGROUND:
GPA for entire collegiate career: 3.92
Major: Political Science & French double-major

- Finished 6th at the 2010 Atlantic-10 Conference Cross Country Championships (24:47)...
- Received 2010 1st team All-Conference honors for the 2nd consecutive year...
- Finished 24th at Paul Short Invitational 8K (24:31), and 48th at the ISU Pre-Nationals 8K (24:26.0)...
- In 2009, Academic All-Conference honoree and Spider’s top finisher at all six events...
- Placed 24th in the 10,000 meter run at the 2010 Mt. SAC Relays outdoor track & field meet with a season-best time of 30:18.15...
-Placed 3rd in the 10,000 meter run with a time of 30:23.20 at the 2010 Atlantic-10 Championships for outdoor track & field...
-Has helped the Spider men’s cross country and track & field teams earn 8th consecutive NCAA All-Academic Team honors...
-Read More on TIM QUINN

Julie Rechel
SUPPORTING DATA/ACADEMIC BACKGROUND:
GPA for entire collegiate career: 3.97
Major: Interdisciplinary Studies

- Finished 11th at the 2010 Atlantic-10 Conference Cross Country Championships (17:52)...
- Received 1st team All-Conference honors at the 2010 A-10 Championships...
- Came in 79th-place at ISU Pre-Nationals 6K race (21:29.8)...
- Recently crowned the 2010 Mid Atlantic Regional Collegiate Triathlon Champion winning the event by over 8 minutes...
- Finished eighth at the 2010 Wolfpack Invitational (17:48.8) helping the Spiders defeat NC State...
- Finished second in the 10,000 meter run at the "2010 Tarheel/Aggie Classic" outdoor track & field meet with a season-best time of 35:50.18...
- Qualified for the 2010 NCAA Track & Field Championships in the 10,000M (East Super Region, Greensboro, NC)...
- Placed 2nd to earn Atlantic-10 All-Conference honors in the 10,000M at the 2010 Outdoor Track & Field Championships...
-Won the 2008 Twenty-12 Talent ID Triathlon in Alabama defeating a stellar field...

-Also won the women's title, defeating the Pro Division Competitors at the 2008 Culpeper Triathlon and finished third over-all, including men, at the 2008 Charlottesville Triathlon...
-Has helped the Spider women’s cross country and track & field teams earn their 8th consecutive NCAA All-Academic Team honors...

-Read more on JULIE RECHEL

Nicol Traynor
SUPPORTING DATA/ACADEMIC BACKGROUND:
GPA for entire collegiate career: 3.16
Major: Mathematics

- Finished 2nd at the 2010 Atlantic-10 Conference Cross Country Championships (17:17) breaking the old course record by 8 seconds...
- Received 1st-team All-Conference honors at the Atlantic-10 Conference Championship...
- Finished 16th at Paul Short Invitational 6K (20:56) and 42nd at ISU Pre-Nationals 6K(21:05.6)...

- Led the Spider women and came in 2nd-place at the Wolfpack Invitational (17:30.3) helping the Spiders defeat NC State...
- Multiple time Atlantic-10 All-Academic honoree and USTFCCCA Scholar Athlete country (NCAA All-Academic team member)...
- 2009 Atlantic-10 All-Academic Team member in track & field...
- 2009 qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the 5,000M
- Set Spiders program record in the 5,000M (16:17.64) at the 2009 Mt. SAC Relays in Los Angeles, CA...

- Set the Spiders record in the 3,000m steeplechase at 2009 Georgia Tech Invitational with an NCAA qualifying time of 10:28.46.

-Also, set the Spider program record in the 3,000M (9:35.95) to win the 2009 Duke Invitational...
- Placed third with a time of 17:48.1 at the 2008 Atlantic-10 Conference Cross Country Championship and earned 1st team All-Conference honors...
- Captured 14th place at the 2008 NCAA Southeast Regional with a 6K time of 21:29.1 earning NCAA All-Region...
-Has helped the Spider women’s cross country and track & field teams earn their 8th consecutive NCAA All-Academic Team honors...

-Read More on NICOL TRAYNOR


A-10 Announces Five Spiders on Cross Country Academic All-Conference Team

Benford, Llano, Quinn, Rechel, and Traynor honored for their academic success.

by KC Krismiller
UR SID

November 10, 2010

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND - The Richmond Spiders claim five spots in the Atlantic 10 Cross Country Academic All-Conference team, announced by the A-10 on Tuesday. Andrew Benford, Matt Llano, Tim Quinn, Julie Rechel, and Nicole Traynor helped lead both Spiders' teams to first place finishes at the 2010 A-10 Championship earlier this month.

"We are very proud of the academic and athletic awards our student-athletes have earned representing the University of Richmond," said women's head coach Lori Taylor. "These women and men represent what we expect in our student-athletes. They continue achieving at the highest level within the classroom and their sports. Excelling at the highest level in the classroom is an integral part of our team goals each year. They are highly motivated and competitive at everything they do."

Andrew Benford, a native of Ravenswood, W.Va., is a double major in psychology and religion. He clinched first-place at the Atlantic 10 Championship in Pittsburgh, Pa. with a time of 24:12 setting a course record, and was announced the A-10 Men's Performer of the Year. Benford received A-10 Men's Performer of the Week following his third-place finish at the Paul Short Invitational (23:52). While redshirting the 2009 season, Benford led the USA team with his 13th place finish at the IAAF World Mountain Running Championships. He was also cross country All-Conference performer in 2008. For more information on Andrew Benford, check out his BIO.

Matt Llano, a redshirt-senior from Arnold, Md., finished third overall at the A-10 Championships (24:23) also breaking the course record. He is a triple major in psychology, Spanish and theatre. This year Llano, an All-American in the 10,000M this past spring, finished 21st at the ISU Pre-Nationals (24:04.9) gaining A-10 Performer of the Week honors, and he finished sixth at the Paul Short Invitational (24:01). No stranger to academic honors, Llano was the A-10 Cross Country Student Athlete of the Year in 2008 following a successful season, including A-10 All-Conference performer, A-10 Championship runner-up and NCAA National Championship qualifier. He was also on the Academic All-Conference team in 2007 with teammate Jonathon Molz. For more on Matt Llano, check out his BIO.

A senior from Pittsford, N.Y., Tim Quinn was sixth overall at the championship meet with a time of 24:47. Quinn is a double major in political science and French, and earlier this month he gained recognition from the University for his research in French literature (link to story). This season Quinn finished 24th at the Paul Short Invitational (24:31) and 48th at the ISU Pre-Nationals (24:26). He was also on the 2009 Academic All-Conference team after leading Richmond in all six events, finishing 12th overall at the 2009 A-10 Championship earning All-Conference honors and 33rd at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championship. For more information on Tim Quinn, click the LINK.

Julie Rechel, a senior from Worthington, Ohio, majors in interdisciplinary studies and came in 11th overall at the 2010 A-10 Championships (17:52). Rechel came in 79th at the 2010 Pre-Nationals in Terre Haute, Ind. with a 6K time of 21:29.8, and finished eighth at the Wolfpack Invitational (17:48.8). She was recently crowned the 2010 Mid-Atlantic Regional Collegiate Triathlon Champion, winning the event by over 8 minutes. For more information on Rechel, check out her BIO.

Nicol Traynor, a native of Basking Ridge, N.J., is a senior mathematics major. She led the Spider women at the A-10 Championships, finishing second overall with a time of 17:17 breaking the course record. Traynor has had a very successful 2010 season, receiving A-10 Performer of the week honors following her second-place overall finish at the Wolfpack Invitational where she led the Spider women's team to a first-place finish over NC State. She also finished 42nd at the ISU Pre-Nationals 6K (21:05.6) and 16th at the Paul Short Invitational 6K (20:56). In 2008, Traynor was on the A-10 Academic All-Conference team as well as being a USTFCCA Scholar Athlete. For more information on Traynor, click the LINK.

"Our men and women understand how to balance their purpose of earning an exceptional education with winning at the highest level of athletics the NCAA offers," said men's head coach Steve Taylor. "This balance is a key to their academic and athletic achievements combined with their involvement with community service projects throughout their careers. They manage these important aspects of their college experience and have been remarkable in their approach and the successes they continue to achieve. We are very proud of what they have accomplished and how connected and involved they are with our University community. They are great examples of what a true student-athlete should be."

All athletes earned All-Conference honors at the A-10 Championship on Oct. 30.

For the second consecutive year, George Washington's Megan Hogan was named the A-10 Women's Student Athlete of the Year. She won her second straight A-10 Championship in a league record time of 16:56, breaking the previous record by 27 seconds. Hogan majors in interior design and has a 3.62 grade point average. The team rounds out with Charlotte's Laura McCary and Maureen Bulgrin, and Dayton's Liz Coorey.

Dayton's Chris Lemon claims the A-10 Men's Student Athlete of the Year award; also for the second year in a row. Lemon finished second at the 2010 A-10 Championships (24:17), helping Dayton to a third-place finish. This is the third year Lemon has been named to the Academic All-Conference team. A four-time A-10 Performer of the Week, Lemon is an education and Spanish double-major with a 3.93 grade point average. He was also Dayton's 2009 Presidential Scholar Athlete. The men's team also includes Dayton teammate Matt Lemon and Duquesne's Jim Spisak.

For the A-10's full article, click here.