JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The College Sports Communicators (CSC) — formerly known as CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) — released its annual Academic All-District Men's and Women's Cross Country/Track & Field selections. New Jersey City University saw a total of nine members of its men's and women's programs receive recognition.

The qualifications for the distinction of Academic All-District are as follows — student-athletes must have AT LEAST a 3.50 cumulative grade point average, be a starter or key reserve and have participated in AT LEAST 50 percent of their team's contests for the current season. Having been named as Academic All-District honorees, all nine NJCU cross country/track & field student-athletes are now officially nominated for Academic All-America. Voting among the nation's Division III Athletic Communications professionals is currently underway.

On the women's side, four Gothic Knights received the recognition for the first times in their careers. A trio of seniors in Shantel Worrell (Jersey City, N.J./Snyder), Tiffany Ortiz (Jersey City, N.J./University Academy Charter) and Polina Agutina (Evaptoria, Ukraine/Number 6), along with sophomore Neida Jarana Perez (Seaside Heights, N.J./Central Regional).

For the NJCU men, a total of five student-athletes were selected as Academic All-District. Seniors Emmanuel Chinonso Abarah (Irvington, N.J./Irvington), Denilson Lopez (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) and Adnan Kpodo (Irvington, N.J./Irvington), along with juniors Jake Sisk (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway) and Topu Saha (Jersey City, N.J./William L. Dickinson).