Not only are they successful in sports, this trio of area track and field athletes can hold their own in the classroom, too.
Central Missouri's Brent Vogel (Helias High School) was named the NCAA Division II Track and Field Academic All-American of the Year, while schoolmate Erin Alewine was a first-team Academic All-American and Lincoln's Michelle Cumberbatch was a third-team selection.
Voted on by the College Sports Information Directors of America, the honor roll of sorts was released Wednesday.
Vogel finished his career with the Mules as a two-time national champion (2011 outdoor decathlon and 2013 indoor heptathlon) and eight-time All-American. He graduated with a 3.74 GPA in biology.
Alewine, a senior-to-be, won the indoor pentathlon in this past winter and is an eight-time All-American. She holds a 3.5 GPA in dietetics.
Cumberbatch was a runner-up in the 400-meter hurdles at the outdoor national championships this spring and was a member of the title-winning 4x400-meter relay at the indoor championships. No GPA was available for the graduate.
To be eligible for Academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA 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.