By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

TAMPA - Phillip Wise has been able to find a great balance between academics and athletics.

The senior member of the USF track and field team recently became the Bulls' male representative on the 2011-12 American Eagle Outfitters Big East Institutional team. The Gainesville native is currently putting the finishing touches on a criminology degree and has a solid 3.65 grade point average.

"It was hard the first year," said Wise, who also runs cross country for the Bulls. "We have practice really early every day and you're pretty tired after that, but you have pretty much the whole day to get school stuff done. It's nice to be able to go home, go to the library or stay on campus and get your work done."

Wise is currently taking forensic psychology this semester and has yet to decide if he wants to go to graduate school or go into the work force. He still has a cross country and indoor track season ahead of him if he wants after what he had to endure last semester.

Wise was tuning up for the cross country season this past summer when he was dealt a bit of bad news. A femoral stress fracture was discovered in his left leg, which meant no cross country and tons of rehabilitation.

"It pretty much came on when I was in the best shape of my life," Wise admitted. "Everything had been going great and it just kind of hit at the very end of the summer."

Instead of helping out his team, Wise was forced to resort to pool work that actually has helped him this semester in the indoor track and field season. He ran a 4:13 in the mile last weekend at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in New York City.

"It's nothing amazing but to be running that off of what I'm doing now as opposed to what I was doing last year, I'm pretty optimistic about outdoor season and even next week at Big East," he said. "I'm confident with the workouts I've been doing. It's nice to know I came back in good shape."

Wise mainly did aqua jogging and swimming from August to mid-November and just recently started running twice a day for two days a week like USF's other distance athletes.

"I haven't had any aches and pains," he said. "Every time I go out my legs feel fresh. It's a good feeling."