Worcester, MA --- For the second straight year, WPI's Kevin Jillson (East Sandwich, MA) and Jarrett Arredondo (Somerville, MA) earned first team ESPN The Magazine/Co-SIDA All-District I honors for Men's Track and Field and Cross Country.

The duo were two of 10 student-athletes who were selected to the first team in the College Division, which is comprised of NCAA Division II and III and NAIA programs in New England, New York and Eastern Canada.  The pair both advance to the national ballot for All-America consideration, an accolade captured by Jillson last spring when he was selected to the third team.

Jillson enjoyed success this past fall on the cross country course.  The senior was WPI's lone All-NEMAC selection as he finished 12th at the conference  championship meet.  Jillson, who finished second at the Worcester City Meet, narrowly missed a trip to the NCAA Championships when he finished 37th at the regional meet at Southern Maine.  He continued his strong senior campaign continued during the outdoor track season when he placed fifth in the 3000 meter steeplechase and eighth in the 5000 meters.

Jillson graduated last month with an impressive 3.98 grade point average while majoring in Biochemistry.  He is a member of the WPI's Pre-Med Society while volunteering for both a Big Brothers/Big Sister and in the emergency room at UMass Medical.   Jillson, a six-time NEWMAC All-Academic team member, was a Charles O'Toole Scholar and Pfizer Fellowship recipient.  He earned several academic awards and honors including the Herb Beall General Chemistry Award.  Jillson's IQP project focused on DNA fingerprinting research.  

Arredondo become WPI's first track and field All-American since 2001 when he finished seventh in the hammer throw at the NCAA Division III Championships last month at Marietta, OH.  The junior, won the NEWMAC title in the hammer and the shot put, registered a toss of 179-11 in his second appearance in a NCAA Championship event.  Arredondo enjoyed tremendous success regionally with a second place finishes at the New England Championships in both the weight throw and the shot during the indoor season and a second and third place in the hammer and the shot respectively during the outdoor campaign.

Arredondo boasts a strong 3.81 GPA while pursuing a degree in chemical engineering.  He was honored at the WPI Athletics Award Banquet with the Poly Club Award, which is presented to the top male athlete in the junior class who has an outstanding academic record along with campus involvement of a non-athletic nature.  Arredondo is a two-time NEWMAC All-Academic team selection, whose IQP Project worked on the restoration of Thoreau Society Records.