Three Grizzly All-Americans among USTFCCCA academic honorees

Bond, Smit, Stevens recognized for success

NEW ORLEANS – Grizzly senior Matt Bond (Worcester, England) and sophomore redshirt-freshman Tabor Stevens (Canon City, Colo.), both two-event all-Americans at this spring’s national championship meet in Pueblo, as well as 4x100 meter relay all-American Justin Smit (Monument, Colo.) were each named U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCCA) DII Track & Field All-Academic Honorees, it was announced Tuesday.

Tuesday’s listing USTFCCCA DII All-Academic Honorees was released along with DII Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards for both the indoor and outdoor track & field seasons, which went to Johnson C. Smith’s Akino Ming (indoor and outdoor track), Central Missouri’s Shawn Boss (indoor field) and Findlay’s (Ohio) Derrick Vicars (outdoor field). USTFCCCA All-Academic Honors were awarded to 164 DII student-athletes from 64 institutions. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) ranked second amongst conferences with the most student-athletes named to the list.

Bond earned recognition earlier this spring as a First Team Academic All-RMAC selection for the second time in his ASU career. He was also a USTFCCCA DII All-Academic XC Honoree in the fall. This spring, Bond completed his Adams State career with a 3.31 GPA in business with an emphasis leadership.

In his time as a Grizzly, Bond earned a total of five USTFCCCA All-American accolades, including at 5,000 and 10,000 meters this spring, distances at which he also earned all-Central Region honors. Bond also earned all-American honors at the 2011 outdoor championships, the 2011 XC championships and indoors in the 5,000 meters in 2012.

Stevens, a Second Team Academic All-RMAC pick this spring, earned the honor for all three of the 2011-12 seasons thanks to maintain a 3.47 GPA while majoring in Human Performance and Physical Education (HPPE). He also earned USTFCCCA All-Academic XC accolades in the fall.

A 5-time all-American in his still young ASU career, Stevens added to his list of honors with a third place finish at the NCAA DII Championships 3,000 meter steeplechase this spring, as well as an eighth place finish in the 5,000 meter run. Stevens was also an XC all-American in the fall and an indoor mile all-American during the indoor season this past year.

Smit, in his first year with the Grizzlies and majoring in HPPE, was a member of the Grizzlies’ RMAC winning 4x100 meter relay team. That foursome would also go on to exceed expecations with a seventh place finish at the national meet. Smit was also an All-RMAC performer at the outdoor meet in the 100 meter dash, and in the indoor 200 and 55 meter events.

Each of the Grizzlies’ 2012 USTFCCCA DII Track & Field All-Academic Honorees contributed as point scorers as the men of ASU brought home the first national title in outdoor track & field in program history for either the men or women.

Related Item: USTFCCCA 2012 DII Men's Track & Field All-Academic Release