by David J. Chavez
Daily Lobo
Academics and athletics don't always go hand in hand.
But for one UNM athlete, they came together just fine last season.
ESPN Magazine named senior distance runner Frank Hemingway to the Academic All-America Track and Field/Cross Country Second Team.
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Hemingway said the honor came as a surprise.
"I didn't even know that I was in the running to be named to the team," he said. "I was really excited, and it was a great finish to one of my best seasons on the track."
Hemingway competed in three cross country meets in the 2005-06 season. He scored for the first time in his college career at the Kachina Classic at New Mexico State University in his hometown of Las Cruces, N.M.
During the indoor season, Hemingway had four top-eight finishes, including one win. In the Mountain West Conference Championships distance medley relay, Hemingway helped the team to a sixth-place finish.
Hemingway held the No. 3 running spot on the team in the 1,500-meter run throughout the outdoor season. He won the event in a meet at the University of Texas-El Paso, and then ran his way to a fourth-place finish at the University of Southern California's meet in Los Angeles.
Hemingway said his senior year couldn't have turned out any better.
"This was by far the best season I've had in my four years of collegiate competition," he said. "I ran really good all season and performed well in the classroom all year."
In addition to his best season on the track, Hemingway managed a 4.04 GPA in electrical engineering.
Hemingway said it took hard work and dedication to accomplish his goals for the year. Everything came together at the right time to finish his senior year strong, he said.
Hemingway said he credits this year's success on the track to his coaches.
"I've had great coaching my whole career, starting in high school, and it continued during college," he said. "All the training for the past few years finally produced the results that I wanted out there."
Hemingway received several scholarships for his academic achievements including the Regents' Scholarship, Department of Homeland Security Scholarship, Goldwater Scholarship and the Ila Allen Glore Engineering Scholarship. He was also granted a $7,500 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship award on June 26, which was awarded to only 13 Division I male athletes for the spring semester.
He also received the University Honors Program's stipend for outstanding students his freshman and senior year.
Hemingway is no longer eligible for collegiate athletics, but he said he plans to stay at UNM to continue his education. He is studying for a master's degree in business and also hopes to pursue a doctorate in electrical engineering.
Although his collegiate career is over, Hemingway said running is still a big part of his life. He wants to continue training and competing in local open meets.
Hemingway said mentors throughout his life helped mold him into the person that he is today.
"I'm the type of person that really pushes myself to excel in every aspect of my life," he said. "I've been blessed to have really great parents, coaches and teachers around me my whole life to help get me to where I'm at."
