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