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TROY, N.Y. – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) has announced its 2015-16 Division III All-Academic team and individual honors and both Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) teams and seven student-athletes have been recognized. The women, which boasted a team cumulative grade point average of 3.38, had five student-athletes recognized, while the men had two. RPI's men's team had a cumulative GPA of 3.33. 

Team honors are presented to those programs that have earned a cumulative team GPA of 3.10 or higher. To qualify for the USTFCCCA teams as individuals, student-athletes must have compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.30 and either competed at NCAA Indoor or Outdoor Championships or finished the regular season ranked in the national top 35 in an individual event or top 25 in a relay event.

Rensselaer's individuals include a senior, two juniors, two sophomores and a pair of freshmen. Shannon Trant (Niskayuna, NY / Niskayuna) is a senior who represented the Engineers at the NCAA Outdoor Championship in the 10000 meters for the second consecutive year. The environmental engineering major graduated with a 3.65 GPA.

Junior Maddie Dery (Mahopac, NY / Mahopac) competed in both NCAA Championships, running the 5000 meters outdoor and the 3000 meters and distance medley relay in indoors. A National All-America in the 3000 and a CoSIDA National Academic All-America, she is a chemical engineering major with a 4.0 GPA. Pesanello (Mahwah, NJ / Mahwah), a junior aeronautical engineering major with a 3.72 grade point average, also earned All-America status. Making his NCAA Championship debut at the outdoor meet, he finished eighth in the discus.

Jamie Lord (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland) competed in both championships, running the 1500 and 5000 meters at outdoors and the 3000 meters and DMR at indoors. She finished third in the 3000 meters to garner All-America on the track. She was also a National Academic All-America as an aeronautical engineering major with a 3.75 cumulative GPA. Classmate Caroline Howes (Annandale, VA / W.T. Woodson) was also on the indoor distance medley relay team, which finished ninth nationally. She is a biomedical engineering major with a 3.58 grade point average.

Freshmen Grant O'Connor (West Hartford, CT / Hall) and Lauren Parker (New Orleans, LA / Ursuline Academy) also earned USTFCCCA academic recognition after finishing in the top 25 in the 5000 meters and high jump, respectively. O'Connor is studying electrical engineering and boasts a 3.71 GPA, while Parker is a chemical engineering major with a 3.33.