WORCESTER — WPI Men's Track & Field and Cross Country graduate student Avinash Bissoondial (Millbury, MA) has been named to the 2024-2025 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Men's Track & Field/Cross Country Academic All-America Third Team, as announced today.

Eleven honorees on the Academic All-America Division III men's track & field/cross country teams boast a perfect 4.0 GPA in their undergraduate work or graduate school. The 16-man first team has an average undergraduate GPA of 3.92, with the entire 46-man team combining for a collective 3.84 undergraduate GPA.

His selection marks the 33rd Academic All-America honor in WPI Track & Field and Cross Country history and the 109th overall selection in school history. 30 of the program's 33 honorees have come under the leadership of Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Brian Chabot.

Capping a remarkable final year with the Crimson and Gray, Bissoondial earned First Team All-America honors in the 5,000-meter run at the 2025 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, placing eighth nationally as also claimed the NEWMAC titles in both the 1,500 and 5,000 meters and holds school records in the outdoor 5,000 meters (14:09.22) and indoor mile (4:11.61). A two-time NCAA Cross Country qualifier, he finished third at the NCAA East Region Championship and 60th at the NCAA National Championships this past fall. 

In the classroom, Bissoondial has matched his athletic achievements with academic excellence, maintaining a perfect 4.00 GPA as a Data Science graduate student. He is a seven-time NEWMAC Academic All-Conference honoree across cross country, indoor, and outdoor track & field, and this year marked his second consecutive CSC Academic All-District selection en route to his first All-America honor.

WPI Men's Track & Field wrapped up a successful 2025 campaign clinching the program's second NEWMAC Championship title in addition to claiming NEWMAC Coaching Staff of the Year and Men's Field Athlete of the Meet. Additionally, the Crimson and Gray marked it's second best team finish (1988) at the New England Division III Championship since winning the title in 1987. The men's 4x100 squad re-wrote their own record to earn a spot in the 2025 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships alongside Bissoondial and ultimately earned Second Team All-America recognition. 

The Division III Academic All-America program is financially supported by the NCAA Division III national governance structure to assist the College Sports Communicators with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2024-25 Division III Academic All-America program.

CSC Release