June 20, 2002

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Laura Van Hoevelaak, a member of the Southeast Missouri State University track team, has been named to the Verizon Academic All-America Women's Cross Country/Track & Field Team.

Van Hoevelaak, a 400-meter hurdler and relay runner, was named to the second team and was one of 45 athletes named to the top three teams. She graduated in May with a 4.0 cumulative grade point average while majoring in sports medicine.

Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Van Hoevelaak was the ALL SPORT Classic 400-meter hurdle champion and placed second in the Ohio Valley Conference 400-meter hurdle finals and ran on the second place 4 X 400-meter relay team. She is a three-time OVC Medal of Honor winner and a four-time Southeast Scholar Athelte.

Van Hoevelaak has one year of eligibility remaining and will compete at Southeast next season while attending graduate school.

The Academic All-America program, celebrating its 50th anniversary, was created in 1952 by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Verizon, in cooperation with CoSIDA, has been the exclusive sponsor of the Verizon Academic All-America Teams program since 1985. No other award acknowledges as many scholar-athletes for the hard work, success and balance they achieve in sports and academics.