June 5, 2008

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Marist seniors Kerri Mannino (Amityville, N.Y.) and Mike Rolek (Maplewood, N.J.) were named ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District for cross country/track and field on Thursday. By being named First Team All-District, both runners are eligible for ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honors.

Rolek, a Sports Journalism major, graduated last month with an impressive 3.90 grade point average. On March 5, he became the first student-athlete at Marist to receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. A nine-time MAAC All-Academic Team selection in cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field, Rolek was also named Marist's Male Sportsperson of the Year for 2007-08. Rolek was named All-MAAC in cross country after finishing 12th at the MAAC Championships on Oct. 26. During the outdoor track season, he set a then-school record in the 10,000m on April 6 with a time of 30:36.66.

Mannino graduated last month with a 3.93 gpa in Finance. She was a nine-time MAAC All-Academic Team selection in cross country and indoor and outdoor track during her career. Mannino finished fifth in the 10,000m at the 2008 MAAC Outdoor Championships on May 4, an event she won as a sophomore in 2006.