South Hadley, Mass. - January 31, 2020 - The Mount Holyoke College cross country team was recently recognized for their success both on the course and in the classroom, as the Lyons earned the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Academic Team Award, announced on Thursday afternoon. Additionally, three student-athletes on the Lyons were recognized individually, garnering USTFCCCA All-Academic honors.
Following the fall semester, the Mount Holyoke College cross country team combined for a cumulative team grade-point average of 3.66, which was in the Top 40 of 212 Division III teams recognized. In order to qualify for All-Academic distinction, teams must have a cumulative GPA of 3.1 on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period, among other qualifiers.
Individually, the Lyons had three student-athletes honored for their commitment to both academic and athletic success. Juniors Simone Jacob (San Francisco, Calif.), Hannah Rieders (Wellesley, Mass.) and Madeline Rieders (Wellesley, Mass.) all received USTFCCCA All-Academic recognition, as they were able to produce a GPA of at least 3.30 on a 4.0 scale and finish in the top-25 percent of their respective regional championship meet. Overall, there were 378 women who were named All-Academic Individuals in NCAA Division III.
It was quite the 2019 season for the Mount Holyoke College cross country team, which took seventh overall at the NCAA Division III Regional Championships in November. Mount Holyoke College's seventh-place finish was the best in program history for the Lyons at the NCAA Division III New England Regional Championship.
Additionally, the Rieders were the first student-athletes from the Mount Holyoke College cross country team to earn All-Region accolades since Christine Klepacki did so following the 2005 season. It also marked the first time in program history that multiple student-athletes have earned All-Region honors for the Lyons. Jacob also finished the meet with a career-best time of 22:55.9 to finish 65th overall.
For the latest updates on Mount Holyoke College Athletics, follow the Lyons on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
