Gold Nuggets' harriers earn NAIA Scholar-Team award

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana women's cross country has been named an NAIA Scholar-Team for 2017-18. The NAIA announced the award Friday.
     
For a team to be considered for the NAIA Scholar-Team award, it must have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale as defined by the institution. The team GPA includes all eligible varsity student-athletes. XULA was among 136 women's cross country teams honored.
     
The Gold Nuggets — who won the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference championship in October and the league's automatic bid to the NAIA National Championships — compiled a two-semester GPA of 3.20. Team members were Carlie Calais, Chinyere Jones, Hajjia Mohammed, Brianna Pace, Taylor Price and Maliya Vaughan.
     
"Congratulations to the women's cross country student-athletes for their successful pursuit of academic and athletic excellence," said XULA Director of Athletics & Recreation Jason Horn. "We are proud of their accomplishments."
     
This is the fourth time in five years that XULA produced an NAIA Scholar-Team. Previous recipients were volleyball in 2013-14 and 2014-15, women's tennis in 2013-14 and men's tennis in 2015-16.
     
The NAIA said 1,862 teams nationwide — 204 more than a year ago — achieved Scholar-Team status in 2017-18. XULA was one of two GCAC schools to produce a Scholar-Team; the other was Philander Smith women's basketball with a 3.11 GPA.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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