Carlson Receives All-Academic Recognition from USTFCCCA

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Keith Carlson (Sr., Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS) of Willamette University has been named to the 2018-19 NCAA Division III All-Academic Track and Field Team as chosen by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Student-athletes earned the award through academic and athletic success.

Each All-Academic athlete recorded a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or higher (4.0 scale), while either competing at the NCAA Division III Championships or by finishing the regular season ranked in the top 50 nationally in an individual event or in the top 35 in a relay event. This year's USTFCCCA All-Academic Team for men's track and field included 462 athletes from 122 NCAA Division III institutions.

USTFCCCA All-Academic Men's Track and Field Team

Keith Carlson (Sr.) received USTFCCCA All-Academic status in track and field for the first time. He previously earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors in cross country in 2017 and 2018. He completed a bachelor's degree at Willamette this spring with majors in Computer Science and Mathematics.

Earlier this year, he was chosen as a co-winner of the J.H. Booth Award, an honor presented annually to the senior men's student-athlete who most excels in all areas of their career at Willamette by exemplifying and demonstrating outstanding leadership, scholarship and athleticism. He also received Northwest Conference Scholar-Athlete First Team recognition for the Bearcats. He has been awarded a full-tuition scholarship plus expenses for graduate studies in Computer Science at George Washington University. 

Carlson placed 13th at the 2019 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 5,000-meter. He qualified for the NCAA Championships with a school record time of 14:27.27 at the Portland Twilight on May 3. He is fourth on Willamette's all-time list in the 5,000.

At the 2019 NWC Track and Field Championships, Carlson won the men's 5,000-meter run for a conference title and First Team All-NWC recognition. He also registered First Team All-NWC honors in the 10,000-meter run with a second place finish in 2018. He was named All-West Region in the 5,000 this year when his top time ranked third in the region.

In cross country, Carlson competed at the NCAA Championships three times. In the fall of 2018, he placed 47th out of 280 runners. He qualified for First Team All-NWC honors twice in cross country twice by taking second place at the NWC Championships in 2017 and 2018. He was Second Team All-NWC in cross country in 2015 (10th place) and 2016 (8th place).