Women's Track and Field | 6/22/2016 11:04:00 AM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan graduate Nia Joiner has been named to the second team of the 2016 Academic All-America® Division III Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Teams, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
 
Joiner (Lombard, Ill., Glenbard East HS) becomes the 121st Academic All-American ® at Illinois Wesleyan since the program began in 1970. The complete list of IWU Academic All-Americans ® is available here.
 
Joiner has a 3.39 grade-point average as a psychology major with minors in French and exercise science at Illinois Wesleyan and is a member of the Pi Delta Phi French honorary, National Society of Leadership and Success, Death Resurrection Life, Circle K, Black Student Union, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and served as a Titan Orientation Leader.
She had a study abroad experience of Copenhagen, Denmark and plans to attend chiropractic school after graduation.

To read more about Joiner's "off-the-track" academic pursuits, click here.
 
As a senior, she was the national champion of the 60 meter dash in the NCAA Division III finals, setting a Division III record with time of 7.49 seconds, breaking her own record of 7.51 set at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin indoor championships in February. Joiner was also the 60 meter national champion as a sophomore in 2014.
 
Joiner was named the Midwest indoor track athlete of the year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association and she earned CCIW "Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week" honors twice as a senior.
 
Placed second in 100 meter dash and 12th in the long jump in the NCAA outdoor finals for the national champion Titans last month.
 
She was a four-time all-CCIW outdoor honoree with her first place finish in the 100, second place in the 200 and long jump and running on the winning 4x100 relay team. She was three-times an all-CCIW indoor honoree with first place finishes in the 60 and long jump and a fourth in the 200.

The 2016 Division III Track & Field/Cross Country Teams, selected by CoSIDA members, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. To be nominated, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale) at their current institution.

This is the fifth year of the expanded Academic All-America ® program as CoSIDA recognizes four teams - NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III participants. The CoSIDA Division III Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division III national governance structure, to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2015-16 Division III Academic All-America® teams program.