NEW ORLEANS - The College of Charleston women's track & field team was honored today by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as they earned All-Academic status.

The Cougars were one of 171 Division I teams to surpass a cumulative GPA or 3.00 or better to receive this recognition.

The Cougars had a successful 2012 track & field season as the student-athletes earned seven individual Southern Conference Championship event titles in six different events.

Recent graduate Emily Smith, who was named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track & Field team won SoCon indoor and outdoor titles in the high jump and represented the Cougars in the NCAA East Preliminary in May.

The men's and women's cross country teams will begin their season Aug. 31 when they travel to Columbia for the USC Gamecock Invitational.