Trio Earns CoSIDA Track and Field/Cross Country Academic All-America Honors
6/25/2020 9:59:00 AM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Daija Lampkin, Samantha Zelden and Vincent Kiprop mark the first time in program history three student-athletes selected to the Academic All-America squad
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – For the first time in Alabama track and field history, three student-athletes earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors it was announced Thursday. Juniors Daija Lampkin and Samantha Zelden were recognized for the women's honor, while senior Vincent Kiprop was selected for the men.
This is the second season in a row that Lampkin has been selected to the Academic All-America squad. She and Kiprop were first-team selections, while Zelden was a second-team pick.
"Congratulations to all three of our Academic All-Americans, they deserve every accolade they receive, and I couldn't be prouder," UA head coach Dan Waters said. "I'm especially thrilled for Daija, who is now a two-time Academic All-American."
This season marks the 11th-consecutive year that at least one member of the Alabama track & field/cross country program has earned a place on the CoSIDA Academic All-America squad. Overall, 15 members of the program have now earned the honor 23 times.
The 2020 Southeastern Conference Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Lampkin is the fourth member of the UA women's team to earn multiple Academic All-America certificates. She carries a 4.0 GPA in public health and has accumulated four indoor and outdoor All-American honors.
Zelden earned her undergraduate degree this spring in human performance exercise science with a 4.0 GPA. A two-time USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree and a three-year SEC Academic Honor Roll recipient, she has earned both President's and Dean's List accolades throughout her first three seasons.
The 2019 SEC Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Kiprop earned his undergraduate degree in public health and is now pursuing a graduate degree in health education and promotion and holds a 4.0 GPA. He is an All-American in cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field with a total of six honors, highlighted by fifth place at the 2019 NCAA Cross Country Championships.
With the track and field/cross country trio, Alabama student-athletes have earned a dozen Academic All-America honors this season, making the Crimson Tide the only NCAA Division I school to earned double digit honors each of the last seven years in a row, with a total of 78 certificates over that span. Kiprop, Lampkin and Zelden join Alba Cortina Pou (women's tennis), Krystal Goodman (softball), Bailey Hemphill (softball), Daniel Kober (men's swimming and diving), Nealy Martin (soccer), Alex Plavin (soccer), Allie Surrency (women's swimming and diving), Kaylee Tow (softball) and Zane Waddell (men's swimming and diving) among the Tide's 2019-20 honorees.
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