NEW ORLEANS — Brianna Dekine is the first female athlete from Xavier University of Louisiana to be chosen to a Capital One Academic All-District team.
Dekine, a sophomore chemistry/pre-medical major from Culver City, Calif., and a graduate of Culver City High School, was announced Thursday as a member of the District 6 College Division track and field/cross country team. The College Sports Information Directors of America selected the 12-member team.
Dekine was All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference in cross country in 2009 and 2010, helping the Gold Nuggets win GCAC team championships both years and qualify for the NAIA National Championship in 2009. She finished fourth in the GCAC meet in November.
An honor-roll student all four semesters at Xavier, Dekine is a charter member of the XU chapter of Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society and a member of the Alpha Epsilon Delta pre-medical honor society. She also was part of a team visit to Children's Hospital patients and a volunteer worker at the United Negro College Fund's Fund Run/Walk.
District 6 comprises schools from six states: Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. There are eight districts nationwide, and teams represent the university division (NCAA Division I members) or the college division (everyone else, including Xavier). Nominees must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale. They also must have completed at least one full calendar year at their current institution and reached sophomore athletic eligibility. First-team Academic All-District members advance to the Academic All-America® ballot.
Dekine is the only athlete from an HBCU (historically black college or university) to be chosen to an Academic All-District team in women's track/cross country this year. She is one of 10 from the NAIA to be recognized and one of five from Louisiana colleges.
Dekine is the first XU athlete since 2008-09 to be named Academic All-District. That year three Xavier men — basketball's Kelechi Okoroha (second team), cross country's Joe Drexler-Dreis (first team) and tennis standout Terry Richardson (first-team at-large) — were recognized. Drexler-Dreis was chosen second-team Academic All-America®.
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BRIANNA DEKINE
Capital One Academic All-District
Xavier University of Louisiana |
2010-11 Capital One Academic All-District
Women's Track and Field/Cross Country College Division District 6 Team
Name School Year Hometown GPA Major
Samantha Alvarez Texas A&M-Kingsville So. Victoria, Texas 3.75 Pre-Med
Sarah Banman Southern Arkansas Sr. Pottsboro, Texas 3.92 Physical Education, Wellness & Leisure
Rachel Brady Trinity (Texas) Sr. Jakarta, Indonesia 3.90 Biology
Sonia Brady Trinity (Texas) Sr. Jakarta, Indonesia 3.93 Engineering
Emeline Crutcher Angelo State So. Wellman, Texas 3.72 Biology
Brianna Dekine Xavier So. Culver City, Calif. 3.92 Chemistry / Pre-Medical
Katie Dugie Texas A&M-Kingsville Sr. Yorktown, Texas 3.78 Business Marketing
Elana Edwards Trinity (Texas) So. Austin, Texas 3.93 Mathematics
Lauren Karnitz Arkansas Tech Sr. DeSoto, Kan. 3.82 Nursing
Cathryn Rittenberry Angelo State Jr. Carthage, Texas 4.0 Integrated Accounting
Rhiannon Roper Harding Jr. Fortuna, Calif. 3.94 Early Childhood
Ashley Teague Ozarks (Ark.) Jr. Lavaca, Ark. 3.84 Pre-Law & Strategic Communication
The NCAA baseball tournament begins Friday, and the Tallahassee boasts one of the toughest fields, featuring three teams with an RPI ranking of 35 or better. Host Florida State (42-17) is the No. 1 seed and favorite to win the regional thanks to a strong hitting lineup led by James Ramsey and ace pitcher Sean Gilmartin.
