AUGUSTA, GA.- Eight Flagler cross country athletes were named to the Peach Belt Conference Men's and Women's Cross Country Teams of Academic Distinction, which was released Tuesday afternoon by conference officials.
 
To be eligible for the team, a student-athlete must 1) participate in at least half of his/her team's events and be either a starter or significant contributor; 2) achieved a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) and 3) completed at least one full academic year at his or her current institution and has reached sophomore athletic eligibility. The Peach Belt Conference Sports Information Directors oversee the program.
 
On the men's side, Christian Fernandez, Francisco Ramirez and Ethan Tank earned their first academic all-conference honors.
 
Fernandez, a sophomore from Miami, Florida, is majoring in criminology and minoring in psychology. Fernandez ran in three races this season and posted a personal best 8K time of 26:07.3 at the FSU Invitational (Oct.7).
 
Ramirez, a sophomore from Pace, Florida, is a coastal environmental science major. During the season, Ramirez placed 11^th with a time of 26:01.6 at the 2022 PBC Cross Country Championships (Nov.5) and received all-conference honors.  
 
Tank, a sophomore, is majoring in mathematics and minoring in psychology and law. The Fort Myers, Florida native ran in three races and posted a personal best 8K time of 26:58.6 at the FSU Invitational.
 
On the women's team, five athletes were honored for the first time: Megan Churchill, Marissa Kempf, Monika Kubai, Isabella Santeufemio and Enola Savel.
 
Churchill, a sophomore, is majoring in international studies and minoring in digital media and Spanish. The Tallahassee, Florida native ran in four races, placing eighth at the PBC Championships (Nov.5) with a 5K time of 19:12.5 and 15^th at the NCAA Division II Southeast Region Cross Country Championships (Nov.19) with a 6K time of 22:40.4. Churchill received all-conference and all-region honors.  
 
Kempf is majoring in English and minoring in philosophy. The Sarasota, Florida native ran in four races and placed third at the PBC Championships (Nov.5) with a 5K time of 18:49.4. Kempf, a sophomore, received all-conference honors.
 
Kubai, a sophomore from Schaerding, Austria in finance and accounting, with a minor in business administration. Kubai ran in four races and placed ninth at the PBC Cross Country Championships (Nov.5) with a 5k time of 19:17.8, earning all-conference honors.
 
Santeufemio, a sophomore from Orlando, Florida is majoring in education for the hearing impaired with a minor in American sign language. Santeufemio ran four races and posted her personal best 5K time of 20:30.2 at the FSU Invitational (Oct.7).
 
Savel, a sophomore from Limoges, France, is majoring in business administration. Savel ran in four races, placing sixth at the PBC Cross Country Championships (Nov.5) with a 5K time of 18:59.1 and 18^th at the NCAA Division II Southeast Region Cross Country Championships (Nov.19) with a 6K time of 22:50.5. Savel earned all-conference and all-region honors.
 
The Flagler cross country teams have transitioned into training for track and field and will be traveling to Gainesville, Florida for the Radd Sports Invitational on Jan 19-20.
 
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