May 13, 2009

AMHERST, Mass. - Redshirt senior Kristen Bakanowski and sophomore Kevin Johnson, both of the UMass track and field team, earned Atlantic 10 Outdoor Track & Field Academic All-Conference honors on Wednesday. Darius Law and Lamarra Currie of Charlotte were named the Student-Athletes of the Year.

Bakanowski, a redshirt senior pole vaulter for the Minutewomen, ranked second at the Atlantic 10 Championships this year with a mark of 11-11.75. She also finished third at the New England Championship with the same height. Her best vault of the season came at home for the Pre-Conference Meet and the UMass Six Way, where she posted a height of 12-03.50. The Northboro, Mass. native ranks first all-time at UMass in the indoor and outdoor pole vault. Bakanowski has qualified for the ECAC's and is getting her master's in education.

Kevin Johnson, a sophomore distance runner for the Minutemen, paces the squad in the 5K and 10K events. In the classroom, Kevin is outstanding, maintaining a 4.0 GPA in food science and nutrition (pre-med). At the Atlantic 10 Championship, Johnson ranked eighth in the 10K with a time of 31:05.31. He finished third at the UMass Six Way with a season-best time of 30:45.63. Johnson is also a member of the cross country team, where he helped the Minutemen win their second-ever Atlantic 10 title.

The Minutewomen and Minutemen return to action this weekend for ECAC and IC4A competition in Princeton, N.J.