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TOWSON, Md. - Virginia Tech’s Frances Dowd (Fairfax, Va.) and Alexander Ziegler (Dischingen, Germany) have earned 2012 Capital One Academic All-America Track & Field/Cross Country honors as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Thursday. Dowd was named to the women’s first team while Ziegler earned a spot on the men’s second team.

The Capital One Academic All-America teams recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom.

Dowd, a junior majoring in environmental policy and planning, earned second team All-America honors during the indoor track season with her 15th place finish in the 800 meters (2:09.38) at the NCAA Indoor Championship. Dowd was also honored with the NCAA Elite 89 Award at the indoor national championship, an honor presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA championships. Also during the indoor season, she earned All-ACC honors with a third place finish in the 800 meters at the ACC Championship (2:10.41) and set school records in the 600 meters (1:30.99) and 800 meters (2:05.18), while being named Academic All-ACC.

This outdoor season, Dowd ran the third leg on the school record setting 4x800 meter relay at the Colonial Relays (8:47.76). In cross country, she posted a career best 5k time of 18:03.7 at the Charlotte Invitational and finished 32nd, while clocking a personal best 6k of 22:48.0 at the ACC Championships.

Ziegler, a management major, won his second consecutive title in the hammer throw at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. He won the event by more than 20 feet including a fifth round attempt of 248-7 (75.78m) that was the best winning mark since 2000 and made him the fifth best performer in meet history. Ziegler was recently named a semifinalist for The Bowerman award. Also during outdoor season, Ziegler won his first ACC title in the hammer throw with a mark of 229-11 (70.09m), helping the Hokie men capture their first ACC Outdoor Championship. He also won the hammer at Clemson’s Bob Pollock Invite with a then season best mark of 240-1 (73.17m) and was runner-up at the Florida Relays and at Clemson’s Tiger Qualifier.

During the indoor season, Ziegler earned first team All-America honors with a third place finish in the weight throw (70-10, 21.59m) at the NCAA Championship. He finished runner-up in the weight throw at the ACC Championship (69-11.5, 21.32m), helping the Hokies sweep the event for the second year in a row. He was also named Academic All-ACC for the third time in indoor track & field. For his career, Ziegler is a six-time All-American and three-time ACC Champion.

To be nominated for Academic All-America honors, student-athletes are required to have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.30 (on a 4.0 scale) in both undergraduate and graduate work, reached sophomore athletic and academic standing, and completed at least one academic year at their institution.

For updates on Virginia Tech track & field, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Track).