Wheeling, W. Va. – The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) officially brought the 2024-2025 season to an end with the announcement of their annual academic awards. With a young team on their hands, the Cardinals were working on building the team culture, and the winning began in the classroom. Bot. The Wheeling Men's and Women's programs were honored with the Team Academic Award for their work during the 2024-2025 season.
"I am very proud of the team in all their efforts this past year," said Assistant Track & Field Coach Ben Healy. "Being a student-athlete is tough, but they continue to prove that it is possible everyday and continue to excel in their efforts both on and off he track."
In order for a team to earn the USTFCCCA Team Academic honor, the team must complete all of the following requirements. The cumulative GPA for all student-athletes on the institution's NCAA squad list for Indoor and/or Outdoor Track & Field must be 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, certified by the institution's registrar. The team must calculate the GPA by using the total number of cumulative semester hours or quarter hours earned for all student-athletes on the NCAA squad list including the most recent grading period. Then, total the cumulative number of quality points earned by all student athletes, including the most recent grading period, and finally divide the cumulative number of quality points by the cumulative number of semester or quarter hours earned by all student-athletes.
On the men's side, the Cardinals featured a young team, lead by a few veterans in both the track and field events. Leading the way was senior jumper Kabwe Bwalya, who was the only male athlete to earn All-MEC honors at both the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships. During Indoor season, Bwalya took on the Triple Jump, and set a new PR of 14.40 meters to take third at the event. As he moved to outdoor season, Bwalya took a step further, earning Second Team All-MEC honors with a distance of 14.32 meters. The other Cardinal to make the podium was Joshua Boehm, who missed most of the season due to injury. He ran in the 400-Meter Dash, and posted a time of 48.35 to earn Honorable Mention All-MEC honors.
On the women's side, the Cardinals were a smaller team with a group of strong veterans leading the way. Chief among those veterans was pole vaulter Keala McCurry, who swept the MEC's pole vault title, winning the event championship at both the MEC Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Her Indoor height of 3.65 meters set a new MEC Indoor event record as she claimed the first of two First Team All-MEC honors. As she moved to outdoor season, McCurry was fighting for an NCAA Provo Mark, but reached a height of 3.35 meters to claim the title in outdoor season and earn the sweep. The Cardinals also had several other veterans make their mark, with Tara Perry earning a top five finish in the High Jump at both Championship events, while Trinity Ortiz was a leader in the javelin, taking fifth at the conference championship event.
For the women, it was the second year in a row that they have taken home the team award, and the third time in the last four seasons. On the men's side, the Cardinals are winning the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors for the first time since the 2017 season.
Both Track & Field teams look to continue the success in the classroom in 2025-2026 and translate that success into team success on the field.
