ERIE, Pa. - The Gannon men's cross country team is the best academic program in NCAA Division II. The Golden Knights were named an NCAA Division II All-Academic team by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for the eighth consecutive season Thursday afternoon. Led by 21st-year head coach John Carrig, the Golden Knights produced the best cumulative team grade-point average in the country.

The selection of the all-academic teams was based on cumulative grade-point averages submitted by member head coaches for the fall 2010 academic term. All teams which finished at least five runners at their respective NCAA regional championship and had a cumulative team GPA of 3.00 or better were honored for their classroom performances.

Gannon owns the country's best cumulative team GPA with a 3.64 mark. BYU-Hawaii (3.55), Findlay (3.55), Missouri S&T (3.50) and Drury (3.43) completed the top five.

The No. 1 ranking is a jump of 49 spots during the last two seasons and 64 spots since 2007. The Golden Knights also produced the nation's best Division II team GPA in 1998 and 1999. The 1999 squad recorded a 3.74 GPA. In 1998, the men placed first with a 3.8 GPA. Gannon ranked seventh (3.42) in 2009, 16th (3.35) in 2004, 16th (3.34) in 2005, 26th (3.217) in 2006, 27th (3.06) in 2000, 36th (3.10) in 2003 and 49th (3.04) in 2008.

Carter Denne (North East, Pa./Northeast) was named to the USTFCCCA NCAA Division II All-Academic team Wednesday. Denne received all-academic status for the first time with a 3.43 cumulative GPA as a Sport and Exercise Science/Pre-Physical Therapy major. A Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Scholar-Athlete, Denne ran the PSAC Championship course in 30 minutes and 11 seconds. His NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional time was 35 minutes and 18.4 seconds. The North East, Pa., native finished sixth at the California (Pa.) Invitational and ninth at the Roberts Wesleyan Invitational.

A total of 68 institutions representing 19 conferences were honored with all-academic team honors. The PSAC led all conferences with 10 members earning all-academic accolades. The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) was second with six.

For the complete list of NCAA Division II USTFCCCA Men's Cross Country All-Academic teams, please click here.