Coker's Bates Named to Capital One Academic All-District Team

HARTSVILLE, S.C. – Coker College men's track & field and cross country runner Dylan Bates has been named to the 2014-15 Capital One Academic All-District Men's Track & Field/Cross Country Team. Bates was selected to the first team in District 3 of Division II.

"I am extremely proud of Dylan and I am honored to be his coach," said head track & field and cross country coach Benny Morgan. "Dylan has shown what it means to be a student-athlete by balancing academics and athletics at a high level throughout his entire career."

A Co-Captain of the 2015 Coker Track & Field Squad, Bates notched three top-three finishes on the year. He placed first in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Wingate Invitational and placed second in the event at the Palmetto Classic. He earned honorable mention All-SAC honors with a third-place finish in the steeplechase at the 2015 South Atlantic Conference Track & Field Championship.

Bates, a senior from Scarborough, Ontario, carries a 4.0 GPA as a mathematics and computer science double major. He has been named to the Coker College Dean's List every semester and was twice named to the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll. Bates earned USTFCCCA Division II All-Academic honors and placed second in the Student Research Competition at the SPLASH Conference in Portland, Oregon during his junior and senior years.

On campus, Bates serves as an academic advisor for his residence hall where he organizes weekly study halls and monthly programs focused on study tips.  He also assists students on campus with computer related issues and has helped with the Coker College K9 5K each of his four years as a Cobra.  Additionally, Bates completed a Dean Commendation Project as he built a 3D printer and learned software to design and print a variety of mathematical 3D surfaces.   A Junior Marshall, Bates conducted research using data mining to analyze GPA and grades to create placement tests.

The president of the Computer Science and Math Club, Bates founded and serves as the treasurer of the Astronomy Club.

Dylan is the son of Michael and Barbara Bates.

The all-district teams are selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America and are intended to recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. Teams are broken down into eight geographic districts across the United States and Canada.

Coker falls into District 3, which consists of Division II schools from the South Atlantic Conference, Peach Belt Conference and Conference Carolinas.