Men’s Cross Country, Csiki-Fejer Pick UP USTFCCCA Academic Awards

2018 ALL-USTFCCCA ACADEMIC HONORS | 2018 ALL-ACADEMIC TEAMS

BOSTON – Suffolk men's cross country and standout freshman Matyas Csiki-Fejer were acknowledged for its work on the course and inside the classroom as it earned the 2018 All-Academic Award status, presented by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).  

Suffolk was one of 178 men's teams that were named All-Academic Teams by the USTFCCCA and one of three GNAC schools on the list with Emmanuel and Norwich garnering the accolade as well. The blue-and-gold's women's squad appeared on the list also.

For a team to be considered for this distinction, which has been presented annually since 1995-96, it must have competed and compiled a team score at an NCAA Regional Meet. The team must also have a minimum team GPA of 3.10 on a 4.0 scale.

The academic recognition is the second season the Suffolk's men's cross country earned the accolade.

In his second season at the helm of the Rams, Will Feldman guided Suffolk to a 29th-place performance at the NCAA Division III New England Regionals hosted by Bowdoin in Brunswick, Maine Nov. 10. With a first-year heavy squad, Feldman stressed the importance of academics over athletics as his 11-runner roster combined for a 3.55 GPA, the fourth-best among the Rams' 19 varsity teams and best GPA of Suffolk's eight men's teams.

Csiki-Fejer led the Rams runners academically and athletically in his first season in blue-and-gold. The St. Louis, Missouri, native was one of two runners to join Suffolk's 4.0 club in the fall of 2018 along with classmate Hunter Toyoda, but it was his achievements on the course that made the Public Policy and Pre-Law major standout.

At the conference championships he ran through the 8k chute in 27:29, good for fourth in the field of 85, the best of any rookie runner to help Suffolk capture third-place and achieve all-league first-team status and become the first-ever Suffolk male cross country runner to walk away from the conference championship course as GNAC Rookie of the Year honors. Two weeks later, on a wet, cold, misting course, Csiki-Fejer was the top finisher from the league to become the first-ever Ram to pick up all-regional honors. His accolades came behind a 23rd-place showing in the field of 391 with an 8k time of 25:45.72.

Csiki-Fejer is the first male Suffolk student-athlete to achieve the academic recognition from the USTFCCCA and one of three Rams' runners this season to do so with juniors Emily Manfra and Emma Weisse, co-captains of the women's squad, achieving the feat also.

For an individual to be considered for the recognition, he/she must hold a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher on a 4.0 scale, and place in the top 25 percent of finishers of their respective NCAA DIII Regional Championship or the top 50 percent at the NCAA DIII National Championships (top 139 finishers for the women, top 140 finishers for men).

For a complete list of individuals honors click here. To see the near 400 institutions honored for their achievements in the classroom and course, click here.