Western Wayne Today

Wayne State University's Ransom Allen, a graduate student on the men's cross country team, has received Academic All-District recognition from College Sports Communicators (CSC) for the third consecutive year.

To be eligible for CSC Academic All-District honors at a school that only sponsors cross country, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale). If they are in graduate school, they must maintain the 3.50 GPA as both an undergraduate and a graduate student unless they are in their first semester of graduate studies without an established graduate GPA.

Additionally, nominees must have achieved a top 50 individual performance at the 2023 NCAA regional competition to qualify.

Allen, a two-time CSC Academic All-American (Second Team in 2021-22 and First Team in 2022-23), concluded his career last fall by becoming the first male runner at Wayne State University to be a three-time All-American by the USTFCCCA (13th in 2023, 9th in 2022, and 25th in 2021). He joins Hall of Fame inductee Rachelle Malette (2006-07-08) as one of only two cross country runners to achieve this feat in school history.

He earned USTFCCCA All-Midwest Region accolades each of the last three seasons (2021, 2022, and 2023), including Midwest Region Athlete of the Year in 2023 after winning the regional meet. Allen also garnered All-GLIAC recognition all four seasons with Second Team honors in 2019 followed by First Team certificates in 2021, 2022, and 2023. He was named GLIAC Runner of the Year in 2023 after winning the conference title.

Allen was selected as a GLIAC Commissioner's Award recipient for academic and athletic excellence both in fall 2022 and fall 2023.

He now advances to the national ballot where he will attempt to become just the second Wayne State University student-athlete to be a three-time recipient of Academic All-America honors (swimmer Elly Maleski was voted Academic All-American from 2013-14 through to 2015-16 - all Second Team).

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