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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Illinois Wesleyan sprinter and jumper Lauren Alpert has been elected to the first team of the Capital One Academic All-American ® Women's Track and Field and Cross Country squads, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Alpert (Park Ridge, Ill., Maine South HS) is the 113th Illinois Wesleyan Academic All-American® since the program began in 1970, a total that is tied for 12th among all participating colleges and universities. The last women's track and field athlete honored was Rachel Anderson, who was first team in 2007 and 2008. The complete list of IWU Academic All-Americans® is available here.

The 2012 Capital One Academic All-District ® Track and Field/Cross Country teams, selected by CoSIDA, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, 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.

Alpert, who graduated in April, finished with a 3.69 grade-point average as a psychology major at IWU. And after her performances at the 2012 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships May 24-26, Alpert concluded her season by earning All-American honors in the 400-meter dash (indoor and outdoor), 4x400-meter relay team (indoor and outdoor), and long jump (outdoor). 

At the national meet, she earned third in the long jump (5.84m), ninth in the 200-meter dash (24.72), eighth in the 400-meter dash (56.09), and was a part of the 4x400-meter relay team that finished second.

In the 2012 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin outdoor championships she got three first place finishes - in the 200 meter dash, long jump and triple jump - and also ran a leg of the first place 4x400 relay team.

At the 2012 CCIW indoor meet she was named the female "Track Athlete of the Meet" as she won the long jump, the 200 meter dash, the 400 and ran a leg on the champion 4x400 meter relay team, while getting second in the triple jump.
At the 2011 indoor CCIW championships Alpert was the female "Field Athlete of the Meet".

At this year's NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships, she was fourth in the 400, 11th in the long jump, and was also a part of the 4x400-meter relay team that broke the Titan school record with a time of 3:46.52, which landed them a second place finish.

Lauren is the daughter of Patti Alpert and Martin Alpert.

This is the first year of the expanded Academic All-America® program as CoSIDA moves from recognizing a University Division (Division I) and a College Division (all non Division I) and doubles the number of scholar-athletes honored. The teams include NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III participants, while the College Division team combines NAIA, Canadian and two-year schools.

The Capital One Division II and III Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures, to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2011-12 DII and DIII Academic All-America® teams program.