MACON, Ga. – Mercer University's women's cross country team has been recognized as a 2010 NCAA Division I All-Academic team, it has been announced by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Mercer's team – which is annually also one of the University's top-performing academic teams - had a cumulative g.p.a. of 3.57. That was the highest team g.p.a. from among any of the four Atlantic Sun Conference teams which participated in the NCAA regionals (Belmont, Lipscomb and North Florida were the others).

MU head coach Ryan Bailey's squad also had the 25^th-highest team g.p.a. among the 192 teams honored by the USTFCCCA from across the nation, representing 30 different conferences. To qualify, teams needed a minimum cumulative g.p.a. of 3.00 or better and must have started at least five runners at their respective NCAA regional championship meet last fall.

The Bears' contingent at the NCAA South regional included: sophomore Kacie Niemann (Crestwood, Ky.); freshman Samantha Woller (Waukesha, Wis.); freshman Lena Hamvas (Marietta, Ga.); freshman Linda Batna (Latvia); junior Christina Kivi (Valdosta, Ga.); senior Clara Densmore (Marietta, Ga.), and; sophomore Kassie Knapper (Fayetteville, Ga.).