Ferris State's Samantha Johnson Claims Academic All-District Recognition

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Big Rapids, Mich. - Standout Ferris State University senior distance runner Samantha Johnson (Troy) of the Bulldog women's cross country/track and field program was recently named to the 2015 Capital One Academic All-District IV First Team upon the conclusion of her collegiate career.

The 2015 Capital One Academic All-America Teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. The teams are nominated and chosen by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). As a first-team all-district pick, Johnson is now eligible for Academic All-America consideration.

This year represents the second consecutive year in which Johnson has been on the academic all-district squad and she eventually went on to claim 2014 Capital One Academic All-America Third Team recognition a year ago.

To be eligible for Academic Team honors, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. 

Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 20,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports. Capital One has been the entitlement rights holder to CoSIDA's Academic All-America teams programs since 2011.

Johnson was among the national provisional qualifiers for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships in both the 800 meters and the 1500 meters this year. She finished 11th overall in the final round of the 1,500 meters at the 2015 NCAA-II Outdoor Championships on May 23 in Allendale.

During the outdoor campaign, she posted four first-place finishes in the distance events and placed among the top six finishers overall in all five meet appearances prior to nationals, which included five top-two efforts. Earlier this year, Johnson received 2015 NCAA Division II Indoor Track All-America honors with a seventh-place finish in the mile run at the national meet on March 14 in Birmingham, Ala.

A GLIAC Commissioner's Award winner for Excellence a year ago, Johnson was chosen as the 2013 United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Midwest Region "Runner of the Year" and the 2013 GLIAC Cross Country "Athlete of the Year" for her efforts in cross country. She has been an all-conference pick multiple times and a multiple-time GLIAC All-Academic Team selection in her career. 

In her final season of cross country in the fall of 2013, Johnson won three cross country races, including the GLIAC and NCAA Midwest Regional titles while also winning the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Invitational. She qualified individually for the NCAA Division II Championships where she placed fifth in the country and claimed All-America kudos. The veteran four-year letterwinner helped Ferris State to be ranked as one of the region's top 10 squads throughout her collegiate career and ranked nationally multiple times.

The Capital One Division II Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2014-15 D-II Academic All-America teams program.