University of Georgia Athletics
Photo by: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Track Duo Named CoSIDA Academic All-Americans
June 25, 2020 | Cross Country, Track & Field
ATHENS, Ga. --- Georgia's track and field teams have two members who have earned Academic All-America honors, according to a CoSIDA announcement on Thursday.
Junior Jessica Drop turned her second straight All-District selection into her first Second Team Academic All-America selection. Fellow junior Johannes Erm was picked for All-District honors for the first time in his career in May and is now a Third Team Academic All-American for the first time as well.
The Bulldogs had a First Team Academic All-American for four consecutive years from 2015-18, including Bowerman winner Keturah Orji who was a three-time honoree (2016-18). In 2015, Brandon Lord was a First Team Academic All-American to start the aforementioned streak while former NCAA decathlon champion Maicel Uibo was also Second Team All-American that year. Georgia had a pair of First Teamers in 2016 as Orji and former NCAA high jump champion Leontia Kallenou garnered the awards.
The COVID-19 pandemic shut down the indoor season the week of the 2020 NCAA Indoor Championships and caused the cancellation of the outdoor season. The Georgia women were ranked fourth nationally going into the NCAA indoor meet and the Bulldog men were ranked fifth in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) polls.
Because of the shortened indoor season and outdoor season cancellation, career accomplishments were allowed in the nominations for the student-athletes who had GPAs of 3.30 or better.
Drop, a native of Durham, Conn., has a 3.92 GPA and is majoring in Cellular Biology. Drop was named a USTFCCCA Indoor All-America in the 5000 meters this spring after advancing to the 2020 NCAA Indoor Championships, adding to her indoor and outdoor citations for the event in 2018 and two NCAA Cross Country All-America citations (2017, 2019). She is also a five-time SEC track and field scorer, as well as a three-time NCAA Cross Country All-Region honoree and First Team All-SEC member.
Drop was named the 2020 SEC Indoor Women's Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year and is a three-time USTFCCCA track and field All-Academic individual. She is a team representative on the UGA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and member of the UGA Leadership Academy, as well as a member of the 2019 SEC Community Service Team. Drop's twin sister, Samantha, was named a CoSIDA Academic All-District individual in 2018.
Erm, a native of Tallinn, Estonia, is a five-time All-American in the multi-events, earning his fifth indoor citation this spring. The defending NCAA outdoor decathlon champion became the No. 11 all-time collegiate performer in the heptathlon with his performance this indoor season, which was the nation's top collegiate score in 2020.
Erm has already qualified to represent Estonia in the decathlon at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. He was named a 2019 USTFCCCA All-Academic individual and has been named to the J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Honor Roll each semester, in addition to earning placement on the Dean's List and SEC Academic Honor Roll.
Where To Find Bulldog News: News and updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams are posted on georgiadogs.com and are also always located on Twitter/Instagram at @UGATrack.
Junior Jessica Drop turned her second straight All-District selection into her first Second Team Academic All-America selection. Fellow junior Johannes Erm was picked for All-District honors for the first time in his career in May and is now a Third Team Academic All-American for the first time as well.
The Bulldogs had a First Team Academic All-American for four consecutive years from 2015-18, including Bowerman winner Keturah Orji who was a three-time honoree (2016-18). In 2015, Brandon Lord was a First Team Academic All-American to start the aforementioned streak while former NCAA decathlon champion Maicel Uibo was also Second Team All-American that year. Georgia had a pair of First Teamers in 2016 as Orji and former NCAA high jump champion Leontia Kallenou garnered the awards.
The COVID-19 pandemic shut down the indoor season the week of the 2020 NCAA Indoor Championships and caused the cancellation of the outdoor season. The Georgia women were ranked fourth nationally going into the NCAA indoor meet and the Bulldog men were ranked fifth in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) polls.
Because of the shortened indoor season and outdoor season cancellation, career accomplishments were allowed in the nominations for the student-athletes who had GPAs of 3.30 or better.
Drop, a native of Durham, Conn., has a 3.92 GPA and is majoring in Cellular Biology. Drop was named a USTFCCCA Indoor All-America in the 5000 meters this spring after advancing to the 2020 NCAA Indoor Championships, adding to her indoor and outdoor citations for the event in 2018 and two NCAA Cross Country All-America citations (2017, 2019). She is also a five-time SEC track and field scorer, as well as a three-time NCAA Cross Country All-Region honoree and First Team All-SEC member.
Drop was named the 2020 SEC Indoor Women's Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year and is a three-time USTFCCCA track and field All-Academic individual. She is a team representative on the UGA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and member of the UGA Leadership Academy, as well as a member of the 2019 SEC Community Service Team. Drop's twin sister, Samantha, was named a CoSIDA Academic All-District individual in 2018.
Erm, a native of Tallinn, Estonia, is a five-time All-American in the multi-events, earning his fifth indoor citation this spring. The defending NCAA outdoor decathlon champion became the No. 11 all-time collegiate performer in the heptathlon with his performance this indoor season, which was the nation's top collegiate score in 2020.
Erm has already qualified to represent Estonia in the decathlon at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. He was named a 2019 USTFCCCA All-Academic individual and has been named to the J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Honor Roll each semester, in addition to earning placement on the Dean's List and SEC Academic Honor Roll.
Where To Find Bulldog News: News and updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams are posted on georgiadogs.com and are also always located on Twitter/Instagram at @UGATrack.
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track & Field
Multi-Events
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