Six Georgia track and field individuals as well as the women’s team received U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches
Association All-Academic honors on Wednesday.

“Over the years we have continued to be blessed with some unbelievably accomplished students,” said head coach Wayne Norton. “And this year we have six more to add to the list of Coaches’ Association All-Americans. It is particularly satisfying to have our entire 2008 women’s team to be named in the team category. So for the year we had three of four teams earn all-academic honors: men’s cross country, women’s cross country, and women’s
track and field.”

Individually, the Bulldogs’ Ian Burrell (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Wes Fuller (Cleveland, Ga.), Ross Ridgewell (Mullumbimby, Australia) and David
Schiedt (Marietta, Ga.) were named to the 2008 USTFCCCA Division I Men’s
All-Academic Track and Field Team.

For the women, both Georgia’s Christy Carr (Marietta, Ga.) and Natalie Picchetti (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) were selected to the Division I Women’s All-Academic Track and Field Team. In addition, the complete Georgia women’s team was named a Division I All-Academic Track and Field Team.

Burrell, a Criminal Justice major with a 3.53 GPA, wrapped up his career as a Bulldog by earning All-America honors in the 5000-meter run finals at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Fuller, a Landscape Architecture major with a 3.58 GPA, finished his career at Georgia after clearing an NCAA regional qualifying height of 17 feet, 3/4 inches at the Georgia Invitational and later competing at the NCAA East Regionals.

Ridgewell, a Marketing major with a 3.26 GPA, crossed the 800 finish line in 15th place during the prelims of the East Regionals. Ridgewell was an indoor All-American after taking third at the NCAA Indoor Championships earlier this year.

Schiedt, a Business major with a 3.61 GPA, had a top mark of 198 feet, 1 inch in the hammer at the Spec Towns Invitational before finishing 13th at the East Regionals.

Carr, a Math Education major with a 3.28 GPA, finished with the top mark for the Lady Bulldogs in the pole vault during the 2008 outdoor season after clearing 12-7.50.

Picchetti, a Psychology major with a 3.70 GPA, competed in the 1500 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships before racing in the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., where she finished 26th in the event’s prelims.

- Georgia Sports Communications