Standing at the Blue and White golf courses after the completion of the Penn State National in October, coach Beth Alford-Sullivan congratulated her seven seniors.

It was their senior recognition day and ended up being a turning point in the season. After beating Villanova for the first time this year, the seniors stepped forward as their name and major was announced.

The majors mentioned were ones spectators wouldn't expect to hear from athletes who spend countless hours a day practicing their sport. Some of the majors mentioned were chemical engineering, meteorology, nutrition and secondary education.

With a roster full of dedicated student-athletes, the Penn State men's cross country team is not taking its classes too lightly. The No. 26 Nittany Lions believe the discipline and dedication from distance running directly translates to their success in the classroom.

For a team used to leading a very regimented lifestyle consisting of 100-mile training weeks, proper nutrition and adequate sleep, the Lions rely on their persistence to help provide success both as students and as athletes.

"We're not just here to run," senior John Mahoney said. "Part of being a cross country runner, you have to be really dedicated, all the miles and everything you do in your life pretty much has to be centered around running."

With the team's athletic success this season, and a trip to the NCAA Championships on the way, Alford-Sullivan isn't just proud of her team for being ranked in the top 30 in the country. She is equally proud of them for being outstanding students and called them "future great citizens of the world."

"These guys have a good combination of both intelligence and common sense," Alford-Sullivan said. "I believe they are unlimited in what they can achieve in whatever they do and to see them with so much pride now, is great."

Alford-Sullivan said as a coach she notices many runners tend to gravitate toward some very intense majors, and credits it to the persistence that comes from the sport. She said each runner has a different personality type, but his meticulous lifestyle usually leads to academic success.

Fifth-year senior Teddy Quinn, who is a marketing major, said there is absolutely a correlation between distance running and academics. Quinn said he noticed as early as high school that distance runners were always receiving academic honors.

He said although they understand they will never gain as much recognition as some of the larger sports, he said the coaches and his teammates provide more than enough compliments.

With seven seniors on the squad, the Lions have taken advantage of their academic opportunities by going above and beyond the requirements.

Fifth-year senior Dennis O'Connor, who recently placed 26th at the Mid-Atlantic Regional, is majoring in chemical engineering and will also have a minor in chemistry.

Tyler McCandless, who redshirted last year's indoor and outdoor track and field season, is part of the five-year meteorology program. Mahoney, who aspires to be a secondary education math major, and Dennis Pollow, who is majoring in nutrition, show the same dedication.

Mahoney admitted some of his teammates take "crazy and really intense" majors, and said many of the other runners are interested in kinesiology and majors in health-related fields.

Even though the biggest meet of their collegiate careers comes less than three weeks before finals, they aren't too concerned.

"I think everyone here is smart and dedicated," Quinn said. "It shines through whether we're on the course or in the classroom."