University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics

Gillespie Named First Team Google Cloud NCAA Division I Academic All-American®
06.27.2019 | Cross Country, Track and Field
Official CoSIDA Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – UNC Asheville track & field and cross country standout Blanton Gillespie closed out his prolific career by being named a first team Google Cloud NCAA Division I Academic All-American®.
The Google Cloud Academic All-America® teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.
Gillespie becomes just the fifth Bulldog in any sport to receive the extremely prestigious CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. He joins Mike Roach of UNC Asheville men's soccer as the only first team Academic All-Americans.
Gillespie recently earned the 2019 Manly E. Wright Award for Scholarship in the Class of 2019, which is presented to the graduate who ranks first in scholarship at the May commencement ceremony. A chemistry major and neuroscience minor, Gillespie graduated from UNC Asheville in May of 2019 with a 3.996 GPA.
A native of Shelby, N.C., Gillespie closed out his impressive career as a Bulldog as a four-time Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Most recently Gillespie was selected as the 2019 Big South Outdoor Track & Field Men's Scholar-Athlete of the Year at the conclusion of the championship at Winthrop on Friday, May 10, 2019. He was selected as the 2019 Big South Indoor Track & Field Men's Scholar-Athlete of the Year at the conclusion of the championship inside the Liberty Indoor Track Complex on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019.
Gillespie was also chosen as the 2018 Big South Men's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year at the Big South Cross Country Championship presented by Musco Sports Lighting and UCS at the Ivey M. Redmon Sports Complex on Friday, Oct. 26. In addition, Gillespie was named the 2018 Big South Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year in May of 2018.
Gillespie was also selected to the 2018 Big South Men's Indoor Track and Field All-Academic Team following the conclusion of the Indoor Conference Championships on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018.
Gillespie was a two-time Google Cloud Academic All-District® Men's Track & Field/Cross Country District 3 Team selection (2018 and 2019).
UNC Asheville Google Cloud Academic All-Americans
Mike Roach, Men's Soccer (2001, First Team)
Micki Logue, Track & Field/Cross Country (2004, Third Team)
Ralf Melis, Men's Basketball (1994-95, Third Team)
Kevin Vannatta, Men's Basketball (2017-18, Third Team)
Blanton Gillespie, Track & Field/Cross Country (2018-19, First Team)
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – UNC Asheville track & field and cross country standout Blanton Gillespie closed out his prolific career by being named a first team Google Cloud NCAA Division I Academic All-American®.
The Google Cloud Academic All-America® teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.
Gillespie becomes just the fifth Bulldog in any sport to receive the extremely prestigious CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. He joins Mike Roach of UNC Asheville men's soccer as the only first team Academic All-Americans.
Gillespie recently earned the 2019 Manly E. Wright Award for Scholarship in the Class of 2019, which is presented to the graduate who ranks first in scholarship at the May commencement ceremony. A chemistry major and neuroscience minor, Gillespie graduated from UNC Asheville in May of 2019 with a 3.996 GPA.
A native of Shelby, N.C., Gillespie closed out his impressive career as a Bulldog as a four-time Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Most recently Gillespie was selected as the 2019 Big South Outdoor Track & Field Men's Scholar-Athlete of the Year at the conclusion of the championship at Winthrop on Friday, May 10, 2019. He was selected as the 2019 Big South Indoor Track & Field Men's Scholar-Athlete of the Year at the conclusion of the championship inside the Liberty Indoor Track Complex on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019.
Gillespie was also chosen as the 2018 Big South Men's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year at the Big South Cross Country Championship presented by Musco Sports Lighting and UCS at the Ivey M. Redmon Sports Complex on Friday, Oct. 26. In addition, Gillespie was named the 2018 Big South Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year in May of 2018.
Gillespie was also selected to the 2018 Big South Men's Indoor Track and Field All-Academic Team following the conclusion of the Indoor Conference Championships on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018.
Gillespie was a two-time Google Cloud Academic All-District® Men's Track & Field/Cross Country District 3 Team selection (2018 and 2019).
UNC Asheville Google Cloud Academic All-Americans
Mike Roach, Men's Soccer (2001, First Team)
Micki Logue, Track & Field/Cross Country (2004, Third Team)
Ralf Melis, Men's Basketball (1994-95, Third Team)
Kevin Vannatta, Men's Basketball (2017-18, Third Team)
Blanton Gillespie, Track & Field/Cross Country (2018-19, First Team)
Players Mentioned
Thursday, June 18
Wednesday, March 18
Wednesday, March 11
Friday, February 06




