Faith Thompson

BUFFALO, NY - University at Buffalo track and field athlete Faith Thompson (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls) has been named to the 2003 Verizon Academic All-District I University Division Women's Track and Field/Cross Country First Team. Thompson, a junior weight thrower, was selected to the team for the second consecutive season after earning second-team honors in 2002. As a member of the first team, she is now included on the national ballot to compete for Academic All-America honors.

A psychology major with a 3.925 GPA, Thompson has garnered two additional academic awards this year. She was named to both the Mid-American Conference's indoor and outdoor Academic All-MAC squads earlier in the year. For the outdoor season, she registered top marks in the shot put (school-record 46-8) and hammer throw (179-0) to earn a spot for both events at this weekend's NCAA East Regional meet in Fairfax, VA. Thompson placed fifth in the shot put (44-4.75) and hammer throw (179-0) at the MAC Championships in Mt. Pleasant, MI earlier in the month.

During the indoor season, Thompson attained an NCAA provisional qualifying mark with a school-record performance at the ECAC Championships in Boston. She finished second in the 20-pound weight throw with a toss of 60-8.75, breaking the mark she set the week before at the MAC Championships by four and a quarter inches. At the ECAC meet, Thompson also took seventh in the shot put at 45-2.25, bettering her previous record by three and a half inches. Her provisional qualification mark, however fell short of making the NCAA Championship field for the weight throw.

The Verizon Academic Teams are selected by voting members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Nominees must be a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletic credentials and at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale). Individuals must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing and must have completed at least one full academic year at their school while also competing in at least fifty percent of the team's contests.