XU's Mead, Fakler are Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes

Javon Mead

Catherine Fakler

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana cross country standouts Javon Mead and Catherine Fakler have been named 2013 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes, the NAIA announced Friday.
    
The XU runners are among 519 — 224 men and 295 women — to receive that honor this season. It's the second consecutive year that Mead has received it, and it's Fakler's first time.
    
Student-athletes are nominated by their institution, must maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved junior academic status to qualify for Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
    
Mead is a senior from Baton Rouge, La., and a graduate of Baton Rouge Magnet High School. The accounting major is a three-time All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference runner. Fakler, a junior from Phoenix, Ariz., and a graduate of Xavier College Preparatory Roman Catholic High School, is an English major and a three-time All-GCAC runner. Fakler set a school record of 18 minutes, 8.32 seconds for 5,000 meters to win the women's race at the GCAC Championships on Oct. 26.
    
Three Xavier athletes — Fakler, Donyé Coleman and David Holobowicz — will compete Saturday in the season-ending NAIA National Championships at Lawrence, Kan. The 8,000-meter men's race will begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by the women's 5K at 11:45 a.m. This will be the third appearance for Fakler and Coleman at nationals and the second for Holobowicz.


By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA