Complete America East Release
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Ariana Bass and Kaycee Martinez, a pair of seniors on the University of Hartford's women's track and field team, were named to the 2010 America East Outdoor Track and Field All-Academic Team as announced by the conference office on Tuesday afternoon. The duo was amongst 20 track and field student-athletes that garnered All-Academic honors.
Bass, who graduated last weekend with a 3.81 grade point average with a degree in illustration, was a four-year member of the cross country and track and field teams at Hartford.
Bass posted a season-best 400-meter hurdle time of 1:02.68 at the 2010 Outdoor America East Championship where she landed a fourth place finish. Last season, the Penacook, N.H. native helped the 4x400-meter relay squad combine for a school record breaking time of 3:53.65. The senior holds indoor school records in the 500-meter, 600-meter and 800-meter events and is a member of the school record breaking 4x200 and 4x400-meter squads. In addition, Bass was a consistent top-five finisher on the cross country course for the Hawks throughout her career. During her final season, she recorded top-five finishes in all six meets and was Hartford's top finisher in three meets in 2009.
Martinez, a four-year member of the track and field team, landed a spot on the Outdoor Track and Field All-Academic Team for the second-straight season. The senior posted a 3.92 GPA – the third highest on the all-academic squad – and graduated last weekend from the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions with a degree in special education and elementary education.
On the track, Martinez holds a pair of outdoor school records in the 100-meter hurdles (15.18) and the 400-meter hurdles (1:00.57), and also ran a leg of the school record breaking 4x400-meter relay team (3:53.65). As a junior, the South Yarmouth, Mass. native was crowned a New England Champion with her top-finish in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2009 Outdoor New England Championship. In addition, Martinez owns the indoor 400-meter run school record, ran a leg of the school record breaking 4x200 and 4x400-meter relay teams and has been a consistent top-five cross country finisher for four seasons.
The All-Academic teams are a product of the June 2005 Athletics Directors meeting where faculty representatives and athletics directors from each of the conference's nine member institutions are nominated by member sports information directors and voted on by a committee of SIDs, academic advisors and faculty representatives from all nine member institutions.
All-Academic squads for team sports are based on the number of athletes that participate in a contest at one time (e.g., 10 on the field for men's lacrosse) but can be more if there is a tie in voting. To be nominated for the distinction, student-athletes must be a starter or important reserve for their team and participate in at least 50 percent of their team's games or competitions. In the classroom, student-athletes must have a 3.30 GPA and have completed at least one calendar year at their institution. Freshmen are not eligible for consideration.
