The University of Mississippi Athletics
Calvin Thigpen Honored by GTE/CoSIDA
March 29, 1999
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss senior Calvin Thigpen, a member of the Rebel cross country and track and field squads, has been named to the GTE/College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America District VI Men's Fall/Winter At-Large Team. Thigpen was selected to the team by a vote of the college sports information directors from the district, which includes the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
The 10 District VI team members will now join other district honorees on a national ballot. The national GTE/CoSIDA All-America Fall/Winter Men's At-Large Team will be announced on April 20. To be eligible for nomination to the district team, a student-athlete must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or higher, be in his second year of competition at his institution and be a contributing member of his team.
"This is a great honor for Calvin and the Ole Miss track and field program," said head coach Joe Walker. "Calvin epitomizes the true meaning of the collegiate student-athlete. He works very hard in the classroom and on the track. This is an honor that Calvin deserves because of his dedication to both academics and athletics."
Awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholar last December, Thigpen became the school's 24th recipient of the honor. Following graduation in May, Thigpen will travel abroad to study at Oxford University in England for two years. Thigpen is majoring in Chemistry and Math.
The Jackson, Miss., native is the only member of the District VI squad to hold a perfect 4.0 grade-point average. This year, Thigpen is completing his final year of eligibility as a member of the Ole Miss cross country and track and field teams. During the 1998 cross country campaign, Thigpen posted a season-best time of 26:13.5 at the Saluki Invitational. He also placed 57th at the Southeastern Conference Cross Country Championships with a time of 27:13.36 last fall. In the 1998-99 indoor campaign, Thigpen posted season-best times of 8:58.99 in the 3000 meters and 15:30.71 in the 5000 meters.
Named to the Chancellor's Honor Roll (3.75-4.00 gpa) at Ole Miss every semester, Thigpen served as Ole Miss' Associated Student Body President in the 1997-98 academic year. He has been selected to the SEC Academic Honor Roll the past three years, and in 1997, he was named to the University's Hall of Fame, which is the highest honor an Ole Miss student can receive. During his time at Ole Miss, Thigpen has been a member of six honor societies and has also been active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and Sigma Nu fraternity.
1998-99 GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America District VI Fall/Winter Men's At-Large Team:
Larry "Chip" Bankston, LSU, Swimming, Sr., Zoology, 3.71;
Devin Howard, Texas A&M, Swimming, Jr., Business Administration, 3.75;
Jerrod Kappler, Texas A&M, Swimming, Sr., Mechanical Engineering, 3.24;
David Kjeldgaard, Oklahoma, Wrestling, So., Management, 3.86;
Stefan Lanziner, New Mexico, Skiing, Jr., Management Information Systems, 3.76;
Huy Ly, Oklahoma, Gymnastics, Jr., Zoology, 3.78;
Mark Naftanel, Texas A&M, Swimming, Sr., Biomedical Science/Psychology, 3.92;
Jeff Piper, Rice, Cross Country, Jr., Computer Science, 3.71;
Calvin Thigpen, Ole Miss, Cross Country, Sr., Chemistry/Math, 4.00;
Jacob Wilson, SMU, Soccer, Sr., History, 3.59