SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University cross country and track and field runner Parker Bennett ('14) has been named to the 2013-14 Northwest Conference All-Academic First Team. The award honors the top person from each NWC team for athletic, academic and community achievement.

Bennett earned All-America honors in cross country by placing 32nd at the NCAA Division III Championships in Hanover, Ind. Earlier in the season, he won his second consecutive NWC individual cross country Championship, while helping the Bearcats win the NWC men's team title for the second year in a row.

During his career, Bennett qualified for the NCAA Championships three times in cross country. He earned All-West Region honors three times as well.

In track and field, he won the NWC title in the 10,000-meter run in 2012. This spring, he placed second in the 5,000-meter run.

He majored in Exercise Science at Willamette and graduated with a 3.48 cumulative grade point average. He received NWC All-Academic Team honors four times in cross country and three times in track and field. He also earned All-Academic status from the USTFCCCA three times in cross country. He studied abroad while working at Sinethemba Children's Home in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Bennett was a team leader and was voted by his teammates to the 2013 NWC All-Sporstmanship Team in cross country. He is from Sisters, Ore., where he attended Sisters High School.