ANCHORAGE -- After helping the Alaska Anchorage track & field teams to the best season in program history, Seawolves Haleigh Lloyd, Micah Chelimo and Shaun Ward were recognized Thursday among the West Region's top scholar-athletes as the trio earned spots on the women's and men's Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District Track & Field/Cross Country teams.

As all-district honorees, all three Seawolves now advance to the national ballot for a chance at Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America accolades.

Lloyd, a sophomore from Ladysmith, B.C., earned her first career award with a 3.67 overall grade-point average as a nursing major. The GNAC record-holder in the 400-meter hurdles, she recently raced to All-American status with a 7th-place finish in the finals at the NCAA Championships in Pueblo, Colo., helping the UAA women to a program-best 11th-place team finish.

On the men's side, Chelimo, a junior from Kapkoi, Kenya, made the academic all-district team for the second straight year with a 3.41 GPA in engineering. The dual-sport All-American captured the national title in the 5,000 meters at the NCAAs and placed runner-up in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, propelling UAA to a program-best 9th-place team showing.  In the fall, he was the NCAA D-II West Region cross country champion, leading the Seawolves to a sweep of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and regional titles.

Meanwhile, Ward earned his first career academic all-district award with a 3.52 GPA in marketing and management. The senior from Eagle River earned his third career NCAA berth this year with a GNAC-record time of 52.00 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles.

To be eligible for Capital One/CoSIDA All-Academic awards, a student-athlete must hold a minimum 3.20 overall GPA at his or her institution and hold at least sophomore academic status. The awards - the official academic All-America honors - are chosen by regional and national votes of sports information directors.

2011-12 Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 Team
Men's Track & Field/Cross Country - NCAA Div. II
Eric Brill     WESTERN WASHINGTON  sr. Kent, WA        3.89 Secondary Ed/Eng. Lit emph.
Nate Seely     SEATTLE PACIFIC     Jr. Lynden, WA      3.86 English
Micah Chelimo  ALASKA ANCHORAGE    Jr. Kapkoi, Kenya   3.41 Engineering
Kipkorir Mutai GRAND CANYON        Sr. Bomet, Kenya    3.73 Health Care Admin.
Alex Harrison  WESTERN WASHINGTON  Gr. Edmonds, WA     3.84 Kinesiology
Mikio Bain     GRAND CANYON        Jr. Glendale, AZ    3.33 Communications
Clark Selters  CAL POLY POMONA     Sr. Claremont, CA   3.84 Finance, Real Estate & Law
Shaun Ward     ALASKA ANCHORAGE    Sr. Eagle River, AK 3.52 Management & Marketing
Lewis Polkow   MONTANA ST BILLINGS So. Billings, MT    3.89 History: Teaching Option
Eric Wright    CHICO STATE         Sr. Eureka, CA      3.33 Kinesiology

2011-12 Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 Team
Women's Track & Field/Cross Country - NCAA Div. II
Katy Gross       SEATTLE PACIFIC  Jr. Everett, WA          3.92 General Engineering
Natty Plunkett   SEATTLE PACIFIC  Gr. Bellevue, WA         3.96 Psychology
Lisa Ohberg      CAL STATE LA     Jr. Uddevalla, Sweden    3.67 Business, Administration
Shavine Hodges   GRAND CANYON     So. Montego Bay, Jamaica 3.48 Biology (Pre-Med)
Theresia Schnurr ALASKA FAIRBANKS Sr. Voehrenbach, Germany 3.83 Chemistry
Haleigh Lloyd    ALASKA ANCHORAGE So. Ladysmith, B.C.      3.67 Nursing
Tiffany Dinh     CAL POLY POMONA  Jr. Norwalk, CA          3.62 Business Mgmnt & HR
Jonah Weeks      CHICO STATE      Jr. Davis, CA            3.61 Environmental Sci.
Paige Henker     CHICO STATE      Jr. Chico, CA            3.56 Interior Design
Heather Edic     ALASKA FAIRBANKS Jr. Fairbanks, AK        3.83 Civil Engineering
Ali Worthen      SEATTLE PACIFIC  Jr. Coos Bay, OR         3.43 Exercise Science