Radford, Va. -- Radford University cross country and middle distance runner Goran Nava was named a 2003 First Team Verizon Academic All-American, announced today. He becomes the first track and field athlete at the University to obtain this distinction and is the lone male representative from the Big South Conference to earn first, second or third team honors.
Nava, double majoring in media studies and finances, joined 16 other student athletes in being honored on the first team and a total of 45 on all three. Eric Dudley, a mechanical engineering major from Washington State, was name Academic All-American of the Year.
He becomes the second Highlander this year and the fourth student athlete named to the First Team. This past fall, senior T.J. Rolfing was named a First Team Verizon Academic All-American for Men's Soccer, while men's basketball player Corey Reed (1998) and baseball's Brian Pardue (1994) are past representatives.
Nava posted a stellar 2002-03 season, which concluded with a 13th place finish at the NCAA Outdoor East Regionals. The 2003 Big South Outdoor Champion in the 800 and 1500 also earned All-Conference honors in cross country and the 800 and mile during the indoor season.
The Castello Brianza, Italy native, he combined for 19 top five cross country, indoor and outdoor finishes, including nine individual titles and four school records. He was also a member of the Radford's sprint medley team that finished seventh at the 2003 Penn Relays.
Named Radford's Male Scholar Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year, Nava garnered 2003 All-Big South scholar athlete honors in both indoor and outdoor track and field and was named to the 2003 VaSID Academic All-State First Team. In 2002, he was the Big South's Indoor and Outdoor Scholar Athlete of the Year as well as a 2001 Big South Scholar Athlete for cross country.
Currently, Nava is competing competitively in his native Italy. Just this past weekend, he was crowned the under-22 National Champion in the 800 at the Italian Amateurs in the 800.
