Mount Olive, N.C. --- Five student-athletes from the University of Mount Olive men's and women's cross country/track and field team were named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District First-Teams. Leah Hanle, Taylor Moncrief, and Candise Lockett represented the women's team while Tai Smith and Zach Teeple represented the men. All student-athletes below were members of the cross country and track and field teams that won Conference Carolinas Championships in Cross Country and Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field.
Leah Hanle - Hanle was a five-time All-American earning honors in the 10000m (OTF), 3000m (ITF), 5000m (I&OTF), and cross country. She was named to the Conference Carolinas Academic All-Conference team and Presidential Honor Roll in cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field. Hanle was a USTFCCA All-Academic team honoree in cross country and the Conference Carolinas Winter Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Taylor Moncrief - Moncrief was the Conference Carolinas Field Athlete of the Year for Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field. She was also the Conference Carolinas Scholar-Athlete of the Year for Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field. The junior was a conference champion in the high jump in both indoor and outdoor, while earning second-team honors in the triple jump in both indoor and outdoor, and third-team all-conference in the long jump (outdoor) and 4x400m (indoor). Moncrief was named all-region in the high jump and triple jump. She was also a Conference Carolinas Academic All-Conference and Presidential Honor Roll in indoor and outdoor track and field.
Candise Lockett - Lockett qualified for the NCAA DII Outdoor Track and Field National Championship in the Hammer with a 55.87m throw that was 13th best in the nation. She was a Conference Carolinas First-Team All-Conference and conference champion in the hammer during the outdoor season and a second-team honoree in the weight throw in the indoor season. She was also a member of the Conference Carolinas Presidential honor roll.
Tai Smith - Smith qualified for the NCAA DII Outdoor National Championship in the 10000m, 5000m, and steeplechase. He was named to the Conference Carolinas Academic All-Conference team in cross country and Presidential Honor Roll in cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field. He was also named the Conference Carolinas Scholar-Athlete of the Year for Cross Country. Smith was a conference champion in the 1500m (outdoor), 10000m (outdoor), and 5000m (indoor). He was also named a USTFCCA Academic All-Region in cross country.
Zach Teeple - Teeple qualified for the NCAA DII Outdoor National Championship in the javelin with the 8th best throw in Division II. He was a conference champion and all-region honoree in the javelin. He was named to the Conference Carolinas Academic All-Conference and Presidential Honor Roll teams for the 2018-19 season.