Aug. 27, 2010

Ruben Sanca, a graduate student from Boston (John D. O'Bryant H.S.), was named the recipient of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), the association announced recently.

Sanca currently has a 3.62 grade point average and is expected to complete his master's degree in business administration in December. The USTFCCCA selects one Division II student-athlete from each of the cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field seasons and awards $1,500. Sanca received an additional $1,000 for being selected among the top three male student-athletes.

"This is probably one of my highest honors as a track and field athlete at UMass Lowell," Sanca said. "This encompasses my whole student-athlete experience here."

While finishing his graduate work, Sanca is hopeful of representing his native Cape Verde in the marathon at the London 2012 Olympic Games. He has begun training and is targeting the Olympic qualifying time of 2 hours, 18 minutes.

"As long as I hit the Olympic standard, I can represent Cape Verde," he noted. "I'm training more rigorously than ever."

Sanca enjoyed a spectacular career at UMass Lowell and completed in his final season of eligibility in the spring. He earned All-American honors in both the 5,000 meters (placing fifth in 14:14.36) and the 10,000 meters (fifth, 30:21.26) at the NCAA Championship May 27-29, marking the third and fourth time in his career he was named an All-American.

Sanca also captured the New England championship in the 5,000 meters (14:23.93) and earned All-New England status in the 1,500 meters (sixth, 3:50.10).

Sanca has also received a plethora of academic honors throughout his career, including USTFCCCA All-Academic honors for the fifth time earlier this month. He was twice named the recipient of the David J. Boutin Award, UMass Lowell's athletic department's highest honor, in 2008 and 2009.

He is the son of Nerino and the late Maria Sanca of Boston.