Blue Raiders land four on C-USA All-Academic team

5/24/2017 10:59:00 AM | Track & Field/Cross Country

By: @MTAthletics

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Agnes Abu, Janet Amponsah, Sampson Laari and Phillip Smith have been named to the InTouch Credit Union Conference USA All-Academic team, the league office announced Wednesday.

A two-time C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll member and C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal recipient, Abu posted a 3.72 GPA in Community and Public Health. The Ghana native garnered Second Team All-American honors during the indoor season and grabbed a pair of Indoor titles at the C-USA Championships in the 800-meter run and 4x400-meter relay. She followed that performance with a pair of Outdoor Championship crowns in the 800-meter run and 4x400-meter relay.

Abu also rewrote the Middle Tennessee record book, as the senior set two school records during the indoor season in the mile and 4x400-meter relay, and four school records in the outdoor season in the 800-meter, 1500-meter, 4x400-meter relay and Sprint Medley Relay. This is Abu's second appearance on the C-USA All-Academic team after being named to the squad last season.

Amponsah enjoyed a successful season on the track and in the classroom in her first year as a Blue Raider. The junior earned a 3.79 GPA in Community and Public Health to garner C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll honors. Amponsah was also awarded C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal. The Ghana native claimed a pair of championships at the C-USA Outdoor Championships in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash, and ran the first leg in the 4x400-meter dash for a first-place finish.

Amponsah also ran the first leg of the women's 4x400-meter relay that finished first and set a meet record at the C-USA Indoor Championships. Amponsah set an outdoor school record in the 100-meter dash (11.32) and in the 200-meter dash (22.90). Wednesday's honor marks the first time Amponsah has been named to the All-Academic team.

Laari finished the semester with a 3.67 GPA in Leisure, Sport and Tourism Studies to earn Commissioner's Honor Roll honors. On the track, Laari was named a First Team All-American after finishing third in the men's mile run at the NCAA Indoor Championships. The senior also finished second at C-USA Championships in the mile, third in the 800-meter run and third in the 3000-meter run to total 20 points and help MT to its first C-USA Indoor title.

Laari set a school record in the mile (3:58.75) and 3000-meter run (8:05.88) in the indoor season and has posted four Top 5 finishes in the outdoor season. This is Laari's first All-Academic honor.

Smith capped his senior year with a 3.46 GPA in Finance to earn a spot on the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll. The senior placed in the Top 10 in 12 events in which he competed during the season.

Smith finished fourth in the triple jump at the C-USA Indoor Championships to help MT to its first C-USA Indoor title, and placed fifth in the triple jump at the Outdoor Championships. Wednesday's honor is also Smith's first appearance on the conference All-Academic team.