RICHMOND, Va. – The Towson University women’s cross country team and the Tiger women’s soccer squad are the recipients of NCAA Public Recognition Awards, it has been announced by Colonial Athletic Association officials.

The NCAA Public Recognition Awards are annually presented to teams with Academic Progress Rates (APR’s) that rank in the top ten percent of each sport. This year’s awards are compiled using the academic and retention rates for the 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years.

The Tiger women’s cross country and the women’s soccer teams are two of 19 CAA teams that were honored by the NCAA.

Coached by Roger Erricker, the cross country squad has a 3.40 cumulative G.P.A. Of the 12 runners on the team, 11 have cumulative G.P.A.’s above 3.0. Senior Erika Griffith, an exercise science major, has the Tigers’ top GPA with a 3.98. Graduate student Katie Ogden (right) has a 3.78 G.P.A. while freshman Ashley Simmons  owns a 3.80 G.P.A.

Led by All-CAA goalkeeper Jocelyn Papciak, the women’s soccer team has a 3.46 cumulative G.P.A. Named as the winner of Towson University’s Female Scholar Athlete of the Year in May, Papciak earned her degree in business and graduated with a 3.96 G.P.A. She is one of 24 players on Coach Greg Paynter’s roster with a cumulative G.P.A. over 3.00. Senior Kaysi Ward graduated with a degree in mathematics and a 3.95 G.P.A. An exercise science major, Courtney McKee (below) graduated with a 3.89 G.P.A.

“We are thrilled that our women’s cross country and women’s soccer programs are being honored with NCAA Public Recognition Awards,” said Mike Waddell, the Director of Athletics at Towson University. “These student-athletes and their coaches are to be congratulated on their achievements. We require a high level of academic achievement from all of our student-athletes. We have maintained a department GPA above 3.0 and 53 percent of our young people earned better than a 3.0 GPA in the most recent semester. During the spring semester, we had 107 student-athletes qualify for the Dean’s List. We EXPECT SUCCESS on and off the field and that will never change.”

Among CAA schools, only Northeastern University had more than two teams honored with Public Recognition Awards as the Huskies’ field hockey team, men’s soccer squad and men’s cross country team ranked among the top 10 percent.

In addition to Towson, Delaware (men’s tennis and women’s tennis), Drexel (women’s basketball and women’s tennis), George Mason (women’s swimming and women’s volleyball), and William & Mary (field hockey and women’s golf) each earned two Public Recognition Awards.

UNCW (women’s golf) and Old Dominion (women’s golf) each had one team recognized while three associate members of the CAA were also honored.