Two Ohio Valley Conference track and field/cross country student-athletes were named to the Capital One Academic All-America team as voted on by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Eastern Illinois’
Mick Viken and Southeast Missouri’s
Alex Zisser both earned third team honors.
Overall the Ohio Valley Conference has had 217 student-athletes earn Academic All-America honors since 1970, including six total honorees this season (2012-13). The two are just the sixth and seventh men's track & field selections in OVC history.
Viken has a 3.30 GPA in Kinesiology. This past season he earned All-American honors in both indoor and outdoor track advancing to the NCAA National Championships in both seasons. He placed 8th at the Indoor National Championships earning first team All-American honors with a height of 17’8.50”. He holds the EIU indoor record at 17’10.50 set at the NCAA Last Chance meet. He was 12th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships earning second team All-American honors with a personal best height of 17’8.50”.
A psychology and history double major, Zisser maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout his competitive career. He is a two-time member of the Capital One Academic All-District team, a three-time member of the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll and a four-time recipient of the Southeast Scholar-Athlete award. Zisser completed his best cross country season this past fall. Zisser took 12th at the Ohio Valley Conference Cross Country Championships to nab second-team All-OVC honors. He also scored during the OVC Indoor Track and Field Championships, helping the Redhawks to second-place finish. Zisser placed fifth in the mile run and ran a leg on Southeast's third-place distance medley relay team.
To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.