Rafter, Dana Earn CoSIDA Academic All-District Honors
Central Connecticut senior Angie Rafter and junior Ashley Dana were recognized on the CoSIDA Academic All-District 1 Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Team it was announced on Thursday. The pair, who were both named USTFCCA All-Academic Athletes this spring, will now be eligible for CoSIDA Academic All-America® honors.
Rafter, who was named the Northeast Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year for both women's cross country and women's track and field, was honored as the graduating CCSU female student-athlete with the highest GPA this spring. A decorated student, she graduated with a degree in English and a 3.96 GPA and has been a member of the Northeast Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll, Northeast Conference Academic Honor Roll, CCSU Athletic Director's All-Academic Team and CCSU Student-Athlete Academic Award. An elite runner, Rafter was named Most Outstanding Track Performer (Distance) at 2021 Outdoor Championships after leading CCSU women in points scored at the championships. Rafter won the 3K steeplechase in 10:55.98 and also won the 5k in 17:39.06. Rafter led the women's cross country team to its third straight Northeast Conference Championship this spring and is a two-time individual champion in 2018 and 2019.
Dana was as equally outstanding in the classroom and as a runner. In the classroom, Dana has a 3.90 GPA as a psychological science major and has been a member of the Northeast Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll, Northeast Conference Academic Honor Roll, CCSU Athletic Director's All-Academic Team and CCSU Student-Athlete Academic Award. She won the individual title at this spring's league cross country championships, edging Rafter in a photo-finish. She helped CCSU to its third straight NEC title and went on to compete at the NCAA Championships. Dana also earned All-NEC honors for her outdoor track & field performance. She won gold in the 1500 meter run and claimed silver in the 800-meter run helping CCSU to a fourth-place team finish at the conference championships.
The 2020-21 Academic All-District® Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Teams, selected by CoSIDA, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances in the competition realm and in the classroom. The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in mid-August.
