Thursday, June 23, 2022
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Senior Kelly Cook Jr. of the Purdue track & field team has been named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Honored on the Academic All-America Third Team, Cook Jr.’s award goes along with Honorable Mention All-America accolades he earned at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on June 8.
Cook Jr. is the seventh track & field and cross country student-athlete in program history to be named to an Academic All-America Team since it was established in 2001-02 and the third from the men’s team. He is the first to be recognized since Matthew McClintock in 2015.
A graduate student in his final year of collegiate eligibility, Cook Jr. advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the hammer throw and finished 18th overall. A throw of 66.64 meters at the national championship meet was the third-best of his career.
In just one season as a Boilermaker, Cook Jr. twice inked his name in the Purdue record books, at No. 2 in the hammer throw with a mark of 68.21m and No. 7 in the weight throw thanks to a throw of 20.50m.
A native of Buena Vista, Virginia, Cook Jr. is pursuing his masters degree in finance. As an undergraduate at William & Mary, Cook Jr. was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team and advanced to the NCAA Championships in 2019, though 2022 marked his best career NCAA finish and first Academic All-America distinction.
Prior to his All-America award, Cook Jr. and fellow Boilermaker senior Curt Eckstein were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team. Cook Jr. is one of 45 Division I men’s track & field student-athletes to be recognized nationally on an Academic All-America team this season.
Purdue Track & Field’s CoSIDA Academic All-America Honorees
Kelly Cook Jr. – 2022, Third Team
Matthew McClintock – 2015, Third Team
Kara Patterson – 2009, First Team
Amber Ferner – 2006, Third Team
Amber Ferner – 2005, Third Team
Prentice Stovall – 2003, Third Team
Ann Stechshulte – 2002, Second Team
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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