Phillips Selected to Academic All-District Second Team
5/29/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan senior tri-captain April Phillips (Fraser, Mich./Fraser HS), the 2003 Big Ten Conference Women's Track and Field Outdoor Athlete of the Year, was named to the 2003 Verizon University Division Academic All-District IV second team for women's track and field and cross country, announced Thursday (May 29). The team is made up of student-athletes from Division I schools in Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee.
| | Phillips |
During the outdoor season, Phillips won a pair of Big Ten individual titles; set two school records, one Michigan Ferry Field record and a conference hammer throw record; and helped her team to its fourth straight track and field conference championship (two indoor, two outdoor).
Her first of two victories at the conference meet came on the first day of competition with a Big Ten outdoor meet record toss of 199-2, just one inch shy of the her school and Big Ten Conference record mark of 199-3 set the week prior at the Len Paddock Invitational (May 9). Phillips' Big Ten winning distance bettered the field by 6-4 as runner-up Kate Johnson of Penn State had a runner-up throw of 192-8.
One day later Phillips earned her fourth conference throwing crown as she chucked the ball 53-8 1/2 in the shot put, two and a half inches shy of her school record (53-11). The event win was her third straight in Big Ten meet competition as she captured the shot put crown at the 2002 outdoor and 2003 indoor championships.
With four conference titles in her final two years of Big Ten competition, Phillips is the eighth Wolverine to win four or more Big Ten individual titles.
Phillips heads to the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships as the top seed in the shot put. She also is the region leader in the hammer throw.
To be nominated for Academic All-District honors, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve and carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher. Team members are selected by a vote of the members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) within the district. First team selections will appear on the national ballot for the Verizon Academic All-America Women's Track and Field/Cross Country team.
Phillips and 17 of her teammates travel to Columbus, Ohio, this weekend for the inaugural NCAA Mideast Regional Championships. The two-day championships, which will take place Friday and Saturday (May 30-31) at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, will begin each day with field events at noon, while running events get started at 4 p.m. Friday and 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
