Not only did Blue Earth Area’s track and field teams dominate both the track and the field, they dominated their academics, too.

According to head coach Tom Plocker, 17 BEA track and field athletes were named Academic All-State for the 2018 season.

Both Buccaneer teams achieved the gold level academically, which means they achieved an average cumulative grade point average?of at least 3.75. The Blue Earth Area?girls accumulated an average GPA of 3.94 while the boys were not far behind as they tallied a GPA of 3.86.

The Bucs who qualified with their events include seniors Sophia Blair (4×200, 4×400), Melissa Hagedorn (100 meter hurdles, 300 meter hurdles), Clayton Johnson (triple jump, 4×800, 4×400), Alissa Norman (4×200, 4×100), Lindsey Norman (shot put, 4×100), and Maddi Oelke (4×100).

Juniors Carson Anderson (4×200), Gunnar Fering (110 meter high hurdles), Amanda Jacobson (400, 4×200, 4×400), Hannah Johnson (4×200, 4×400), and Alex Reese (300 hurdles, 4×800, 4×400) are also among Blue Earth Area’s Academic All-State representatives.

Also included are sophomores Adam Griffin (400, 4×800, 4×400), Kaitlin Johnson (4×400), Thomas Lindsey (pole vault), Brady Olsen (high jump, 4×800, 4×400), and Grant Strukel (4×800, 3200), and ninth grader Ta Armstrong (4×100).

In order for individuals to be eligible for the honor of Academic All-State, high school student athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.6, and meet at least one of the following track and field standards: earning All-Conference honors, qualifying for the individual State Meet, or meeting at least one of the standards on raceberryjam.com, which is a site for reporting outstanding performances within the state of Minnesota.

“It’s all good news for BEA,” says coach Plocker. “Talent on and off the field.”