Atkinson Named 1st Team CoSIDA Academic All-American®
8/12/2021 12:03:49 PM | Track and Field
For the second consecutive season, Liberty All-American hurdler Jovaine Atkinson has been named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Men’s Track & Field/Cross Country Team®, as announced today by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Atkinson was voted to the first team.
A native of Spanish Town, Jamaica, Atkinson previously received second team CoSIDA Academic All-America® honors in 2020. He is the first Liberty men’s track & field student-athlete ever to become a two-time Academic All-American®.
Atkinson is only the second Liberty men’s track & field student-athlete to earn first team CoSIDA Academic All-America® recognition, joining Clendon Henderson (2008).
Atkinson and Henderson are the only two student-athletes in program history to become both All-Americans and CoSIDA Academic All-Americans® during their time at Liberty.
Atkinson is Liberty’s second and final CoSIDA Academic All-American® for the 2020-21 academic year, joining baseball’s Aaron Anderson (first team).
An aeronautics major, Atkinson wrapped up his time at Liberty with a 3.83 GPA. He is a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District® honoree and is the Flames’ only four-time USTFCCCA All-Academic Team member. Atkinson’s final outdoor track & field campaign also saw him make the ASUN All-Academic Team.
On the track, Atkinson was voted to the VaSID All-State first team in the hurdles in 2021. The ASUN men’s 110 hurdles runner-up qualified for the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet for the third time in his career.
Atkinson departs Liberty owning program records for the 60 hurdles (7.64) and 110 hurdles (13.77). The former time was set at the 2018 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships, where Atkinson placed fourth in the men’s 60 hurdles final to become a first team All-American.
