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February 25, 2008

 

NEW ORLEANS – In Division III athletics there are no athletic scholarships, but there is the promise of a good education and the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level.  Division III student-athletes possess the ability to balance their academic and athletic lives.  Over the past few years no Division III student-athlete has performed the balancing act better than Willamette’s Sarah Zerzan. 

 

For the second year in a row, the senior from San Carlos, California has been named the NCAA Division III USTFCCCA Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced today. 

 

Zerzan is one of the more accomplished runners at the Division III level as she has won the past two NCAA Division III individual cross country titles along with three West Regional crowns from 2005-2007.  She also won two Northwest Conference championships in 2006 and 2007.  Zerzan was the only athlete in the field at the NCAA National Championships to finish the six-kilometer course in less than 21 minutes. 

 

During the 2008 NCAA Honors Celebration, the Willamette harrier was one of eight athletes in their final year of eligibility to receive the NCAA Today’s Top VIII Award which goes to selected student-athletes for their athletic and academic achievements, plus their character and leadership.  Zerzan carries a 3.93 cumulative grade point average in Biochemistry.  She speaks fluent French, can carry on a conversation in Spanish, and understands some Czech. 

 

Four of Zerzan’s teammates (Hannah Vietmeier, Jena Winger, Maddie Coffman and Molly Lewis), joined her on this year’s USTFCCCA All-Academic team. 

 

A total of 203 Division III female student-athletes received the 2007 USTFCCCA All-Academic honor, up 15 from last year’s total.  106 Division III institutions are represented on this year’s All-Academic team, led by Geneseo State, which placed six student-athletes on the team.  DePauw University and Willamette University each had five student-athletes on the team, while eight other Division III schools placed four each on the 2007 USTFCCCA All-Academic team. 

 

The award honors those student-athletes who have succeeded both academically and athletically.  To be eligible for the award a student-athlete must carry a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average and must finish in the top 25 percent of the field at their respective NCAA regional meet. 

 

Chris Erichsen of St. John’s University (MN) is the 2007 NCAA Division I USTFCCCA Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year. 

 

The 2007 NCAA Division III USTFCCCA Women’s All-Academic Team

 

Name

School

Erika Nichols

Albion College

Eva Weyers

Allegheny College

Rachel Hutchinson

Allegheny College

Caitlin E. McDermott - Murphy

Amherst College

Elise M. Tropiano

Amherst College

Heather M. Wilson

Amherst College

Margaret R. Ray

Amherst College

Gwen Kemple

Anderson University

Laura Lash

Anderson University

Meaghan Reaney

Augustana College

Morgan Jacquette

Aurora University

Nikki Umhoefer

Bethel University

Katie Weng

Bryn Mawr College

Calah Schlabach

Calvin College

Jessica Koster

Calvin College

Lynn Marsh

Calvin College

Carolyn Clayton

Carnegie Mellon University

Karen Jackson

Carthage College

Andrea Fischione

Case Western Reserve University

Britta Kumley

Case Western Reserve University

Esther Erb

Case Western Reserve University

Qiaoqiao (Joy) Zhu

Case Western Reserve University

Angie Berry

Central College

Lauren McCafferty

Centre College

Megan Roberts

Christopher Newport University

Caitlin Palko

Clarion University

Erin Richard

Clarion University

Kate Ehrensberger

Clarion University

Molly Smathers

Clarion University

Ashley Schnell

Coe College

Katrina Gravel

Colby College

Julia C. Curry

College of St. Scholastica

Jocelyn Jenks

Colorado College

Megan Zaranek

Colorado College

Maria Middleton

Concordia College

Caitrin Herdic

Connecticut College

Jillian Sergi

Connecticut College

Rachelle Hawkins

Cornell College

Alison Case

DePauw University

Bridget Blair

DePauw University

Laura Ardington

DePauw University

Melissa Buckley

DePauw University

Taylor Penrod

DePauw University

Caitlin Strahota

Dickinson College

Laura Straw

Dickinson College

Layla Naficy

Dickinson College

Erin Fisher

Elizabethtown College

Megan VanDenHengel

Elizabethtown College

Sarah Grove

Elizabethtown College

Tiffany Kulp

Elizabethtown College

Jennifer Feinberg

Emory University

Lauren Shores

Emory University

Melissa Jones

Emory University

Natalie Waryck

Emory University

Kerrin Epstein

Gettysburg College

Allison Louthan

Grinnell College

Becky Bessinger

Grinnell College

Sarah Spencer

Grinnell College

Emily Pierce

Grove City College

Julia Seward

Grove City College

Sarah Bernhardson

Gustavus Adolphus College

Alycia Tranchitella

Gwynedd - Mercy College

Lisa Smedley

Gwynedd - Mercy College

Meredith FitzPatrick

Hamilton College

Emily Cochard

Hanover College

Darian Lunne

Haverford College

Emily Letts

Haverford College

Jane Weber

Haverford College

Joanne Gabl

Hope College

Amanda Boccio

Ithaca College

Caitlin Catella

Ithaca College

Lindsey Nadolski

Ithaca College

Melanie McCormick

Ithaca College

Emma Hiza

Johns Hopkins University

Mary O'Grady

Johns Hopkins University

Rachel Hogen

Johns Hopkins University

Aubrey S. Cyphert

Juniata College

Chrissy Ostrowski

Kenyon College

Jessica Francois

Kenyon College

Lauren Brady

Kenyon College

Tamma Carleton

Lewis & Clark College

Erika Snawder

Linfield College

Mary Bridget Corken

Loras College

Ericka Sell

Luther College

Flannery Cerbin

Luther College

Rachel Wobeter

Luther College

Erin Lowrey

Macalester College

Rebecca Flanders

Manchester College

Julie Hinchey

Manhattanville College

Randi Robertson

Marietta College

Elizabeth Finn

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Jennifer Doyle

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Maria Monks

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Erin Rhodes

Messiah College

Jennifer Kooser

Messiah College

Ali Ostrum

Misericordia University

Catherine Riffin

Mount Holyoke College

Meghan Lynch

Mount Holyoke College

Sara Gearin

Muhlenberg College

Abigail Crain

Nazareth College

Jessica Brown

Nazareth College

Amanda Godemann

Nebraska Wesleyan University

Amber Brandenburger

Nebraska Wesleyan University

Bridget Baldwin

Nebraska Wesleyan University

Brittany Hubbard

Nebraska Wesleyan University

Megan Andracki

North Central College

Sarah Scanlin

North Central College

Joanna Johnson

Oberlin College

Marie Barnett

Oberlin College

Nicky Ouellet

Oberlin College

Grace Peck

Occidental College

Rachel Smith

Ohio Northern University

Laura Binkley

Ohio Wesleyan University

Leah Schmelzer

Ohio Wesleyan University

Sarah Shinn

Ohio Wesleyan University

Alicia Freese

Pomona - Pitzer Colleges

Kathryn Markowitz

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Jaala Spencer

Rhodes College

Katharine Scherer

Rhodes College

Nici Thomas

Rhodes College

Jessica Davey

Ripon College

Mallory McClaine

Roanoke College

Adrienne Gagnier

Rochester Institute of Technology

Emily Tran

Roger Williams University

Rachel Krasich

Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology

Robin England

Rutgers University - Camden

Alison Cloutier

Smith College

Anna Cressotti

Smith College

Nora Youngs

Smith College

Elizabeth Ludovici

St. Lawrence University

Casey Baustian

St. Olaf College

Jacqueline Kelly

St. Olaf College

Jennifer Carlson

St. Olaf College

Sara Amitrani

Stevens Institute of Technology

Lauren Mesi

SUNY Brockport

Kaitlin Ramsbotham

SUNY Cortland

Danielle Hunt

SUNY Geneseo

Elizabeth Montgomery

SUNY Geneseo

Emily Hurley

SUNY Geneseo

Laura Iafrati

SUNY Geneseo

Meghan Nolan

SUNY Geneseo

Sandra Goettelman

SUNY Geneseo

Celia Alterio

SUNY Oneonta

Allison Busby

SUNY Plattsburgh

Alyssa Recny

SUNY Plattsburgh

Laura Gausmann

Susquehanna University

Christine Nystrom

The College of New Jersey

Megan O'Leary

The College of New Jersey

Stephanie Herrick

The College of New Jersey

Alison Hoing

Trinity University

D'Ann Arthur

Trinity University

Leda McDaniel

Trinity University

Hannah Moots

University of Chicago

Ali Mertsock

University of Pittsburgh at Bradford

Liana Roberts

University of Puget Sound

Avery Kelly

University of Redlands

Kellie Hasselwander

University of Rochester

Laura Richenderfer

University of Rochester

Lisa Cole

University of Rochester

Julie Anderson

University of St. Thomas

Katie Theisen

University of St. Thomas

Amber Hertz

University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

Beth Lutz

University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

Hannah Humbach

University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

Katelyn Williams

University of Wisconsin La Crosse

Kristen Howe

University of Wisconsin La Crosse

Zoe Browne

University of Wisconsin La Crosse

Ayla Mitchell

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

Allison Tank

University of Wisconsin Platteville