NEW ORLEANS – Several UT Arlington men's and women's track and field student-athletes have been honored for their academic successes during the 2020-21 season by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
 
The Maverick women were named an All-Academic Team and had three members named All-Academic Athletes: Jade Bontke, Liv Cantby and Shelby West. On the men's side, four were tabbed All-American Athletes: Bryson DeBerry, Cole Klashinsky, Arthur Petersen and Medric Roberson.
 
The UTA women posted a cumulative GPA of 3.2 for all of its student-athletes on the 2020-21 indoor and/or outdoor squad – well above the minimum 3.0 requirement by the USTFCCCA.
 
As for the individuals, student-athletes must possess a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 for their career and have met athletic requirements as well, which are as follows for the 2021 season:

• Indoor: Student-athletes must have finished the ranked in the top 96 in any championship individual event, or in the top 48 in any championship relay event.
   
• Outdoor: Student-athletes must have participated in any round of the NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships, or for multi-events must have finished the season ranked in the top 48 in the East or top 48 in the West regions.

DeBerry and Petersen shone brightest of the best Mavs as both reached the NCAA Championship Finals and were tabbed All-Americans in their respective events, in addition to garnering All-Academic accolades. DeBerry, a kinesiology major, was a First Team All-American in the indoor high jump and a Second Team All-American in the outdoor high jump en route to establishing program-record marks.
 
A business major, Petersen also established the best-ever javelin throw in program history on his way to Second Team All-American honors in his freshman season.
 
Roberson – who is pursuing his Master's of Education – competed in the NCAA Championship West Region Prelims in the 110m hurdles to earn his All-Academic nod. Meanwhile, Klashinsky – an MBA student – finished in the top-96 nationally in the indoor 5000m and also notched top-5 program records in the outdoor and indoor 5000m and the 10000m outdoor during the 2021 campaign.
 
Back on the women's side, Cantby and West both suited up for the Mavs in the NCAA Championship West Region Prelims in the javelin and 400m hurdles, respectively. During the course of the year, freshman Cantby – a kinesiology major – posted the 2nd-best javelin in program history. West – a university studies major – clocked the 3rd-best 400 hurdles time in program lore.
 
As for Bontke, the biology major finished in the top-48 regionally in the West in the outdoor heptathlon. She also slotted herself into the 3rd position on the program's record book in the pentathlon during the season.
 
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