TROY, N.Y. – The 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 1 College Division Men’s Track & Field/Cross Country Teams have been announced and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) student-athlete
Garrett Harms has been named to the First Team. A sophomore, he is now eligible for National Academic All-America consideration.
Harms, who hails from Newburyport, Mass., carried a 3.97 cumulative grade point average as a dual major in nuclear and mechanical engineering. A Liberty League All-Academic, he is a multiple Dean’s List selection and an RPI Medalist.
A nominee for the Dyce Prize, which honors students with high scholastic abilities and constructive leadership, Harms also serves a tutor to his fellow peers on campus. He has also interned at Proctor & Gamble Manufacturing.
One of the top multi-event competitors for the Engineers in 2009, Harms helped lead the Rensselaer men to the Liberty League Indoor Championship title and a third-place finish at the NYSCTC Championship. Competing in the five-event pentathlon, he finished fourth of 11 participants to secure valuable team points.
Harms’ success continued in the outdoor season as he once again helped RPI to a conference title. One of his best outings of the season came at the Liberty League Meet, where he finished second in the 400-dash, fourth in the pole vault and javelin, before helping the 4x400 relay team to victory.
At the New York State Meet in May, Harms posted 5,715 points in the decathlon to finish second overall and first among Liberty League competitors. Named the Liberty League Field Performer of the Week for his efforts, he also finished third in the 4x400 relay, fifth in the pole vault and sixth in the 4x800 relay.
The former Newburyport High School standout achieved nine personal records in his first college decathlon. He wrapped up his sophomore campaign at the ECAC Championships, finishing fourth overall in the decathlon with an NCAA provisional mark of 6,113 points to lead the men’s team to third overall.