Former Jamaica and Cornwall College junior representative Owayne Owens, who is now attending the University of Virginia, was last week named in the all- academic team for the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for the indoor track and field season.

It was the second time that the athlete was being named in an all-academic team.

The first came after his injury-ravaged 2019 outdoors season, which limited him to just three meets.

According to a release on the University of Virginia track and field website, “to be eligible for consideration for the All-ACC Academic Team, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during his or her academic career.”

Owens credits his academic success to his teammates.

“I’m just happy I’m a part of a group of athletes that get the job done in the classroom and on the track. I feel I’m in a place where I don’t have an option but to excel in school work, the people around me are just so smart and it motivates me to put in the effort and get good grades,” he told the Jamaica Observer West earlier this week.

The triple jumper, who is studying sociology, had high praises for the effort the University of Virginia makes to help student-athletes with their studies.

“The academic resources that the athletic department provides for the athletes are remarkable, they also help us to reach our fullest potential academically,” said Owens, adding that his high school paved the way for his success.

“I also have to give credit to Cornwall College as it is the foundation for my attitude towards academics. I was lucky enough to be surrounded by a group of ‘Men of Might’ who were so passionate about academics, and it is because of their passion why I was also able to find a passion of my own for school, learning, and striving for the best grades possible.”

Owens, who represented Jamaica at the 2017 IAAF World Under-18 championships in Nairobi, Kenya and the 2018 World Under-20 championships in Tampere, Finland, was the champion boy athlete at his final COCAA Western Championships in 2018, after winning the Class 1 high jump and triple jump and placing second in the long jump.

He was one of six members of the men’s team at Virginia to be included on the all-academic team and had also earned first team All-ACC honours after placing second in the triple jump at the Indoor Championships behind teammate and fellow Jamaican Jordan Scott.