Men’s Track And Field Standout Rick Hill Earns Verizon Academic All-America Honors

June 17, 2003

Clemson men’s track and field standout Rick Hill was named to the 2003 Verizon Academic All-America University Division Men’s Track Third-Team released Thursday. The junior from Chapel Hill boasts a 3.60 cumulative GPA in marketing, and earns Verizon Academic All-America honors for the first time in his career. Hill was tabbed Academic All-Region earlier this year, and was the only athlete from the Atlantic Coast Conference to earn Academic All-America honors.

He has been a member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll and Clemson Honor Roll each semester since the fall of 1999, and earned USTCA Academic All-America Honors one year ago. Hill is the second Clemson men’s track and field student-athlete to garner Verizon honors, as former All-American high jumper Doug Ameigh received the award in 2002.

On the track, Hill was the 2003 ACC Champion in the decathlon and ranks fourth on Clemson’s career list in that event. He competed at this year’s NCAA Championships, after qualifying with a lifetime-best 7,327 points at the Orange & Purple Classic. Hill placed 14th at the 2003 national meet, with 7,117 points. Last season, Hill was a NCAA qualifier in the decathlon, and competed on the Tigers’ 4x400m relay team at the NCAA Championships. He was the 2002 ACC Runner-up in the decathlon, with 7,165 points.