AUSTIN, Texas -- Bates men's cross country and track & field senior, Eli Boesch Dining, received the selective honor of CSC Academic All-America® on Thursday, as the College Sports Communicators announced the Academic All-America® Division III Men's Track & Field/Cross Country Teams.

Boesch Dining becomes the 20th CSC Academic All-American® in the history of Bates athletics (and second this year), joining Nathan Berry who was named the first Bates swimming Academic All-American® in program history this past March.

Having graduated last month as an environmental studies major, Eli owns a stellar cumulative grade-point average of 3.98. The native of Concord, N.H. is an eight-time selection to the NESCAC All-Academic team, having competed in cross country and indoor and outdoor track & field for the Bobcats. Eli was honored on May 23 during the Bates Athletics Senior Student-Athlete Celebration as one of 89 Senior Scholar selections. He was also presented the Milton L. Lindholm Scholar-Athlete Award, which goes to one varsity letter-winning student-athlete from a men's team and a women's team with the highest cumulative GPA.

Eli enjoyed an excellent cross country campaign as the USTFCCCA All-Academic, All-Region, and All-NESCAC selection captained his squad to a finish of 22nd-place at the Division III XC National Championships this past November in East Lansing, Mich. In track and field competition, Boesch Dining earned All-Region accolades in the 5,000 meters, setting a personal-record time of 14:34.73 at the Friar Invitational on April 14. The results marks the fifth fastest time in Bates men's outdoor track and field history.

On May 5, Eli won the 10,000 meters at the New England Outdoor Division III Championships in his first-ever running of the event for the garnet and white. Boesch Dining raced to the finish in 30:32.02, beating the next closest competitor by more than a minute. His time is the third fastest mark in the event in Bates men's track and field history. 

Boesch Dining was named to the second of three men's track & field/cross country Division III Academic All-America® teams. College Sports Communicators began the distinguished Academic All-America® program in 1952, and since then, has honored thousands of deserving student-athletes from numerous sports across all divisions with these elite Academic All-America® scholar-athlete honors.

For more information regarding the Academic All-America® program, visit academicallamerica.com.