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Women's Cross Country Presents Team Awards at Season Ending Banquet

Women's Cross Country Presents Team Awards at Season Ending Banquet

BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University women's cross country team announced its team awards at its season ending banquet in the Student Activity Center on campus.

Sixth-year head coach Joe Eby recognized 20 participating student-athletes for their efforts during the 2019 campaign, while three runners were honoured with varsity awards for their performances.

The three top honorees were senior All-American, All-Ohio Athletic Conference, and Academic All-OAC runner Kelly Brennan (Akron/Walsh Jesuit), sophomore All-OAC and Academic All-OAC performer Alyssa Laughner (Howard, Pa./Central Mountain), and junior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC competitor Hastings Marek (Pataskala/Watkins Memorial).

Brennan was named the team's Most Valuable Player Awards recipient for the first time in her career. She is a USTFCCCA All-American (top-40), two-time All-OAC first team (top-9) and second team selection (top-18), three time Academic All-OAC selection, and four-time All-Great Lakes Region (top-35) and All-Ohio finisher (top-35). The four-year letterwinner spearheaded the BW runners in six races this season, placing eighth at the All-Ohio Division III Championships, third at the OAC Championships, fourth at the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional Championships, and 31st at the NCAA Division III National Championships. She earned season and career-best times of 21.17.8 in the 6k and 18:16.9 in the 5k. The accounting and finance double major is Dean's List student, Jacket Scholar, member of Alpha Lambda and Chi Sigma Alpha honoraries, and boasts a 3.97 grade point average.

Laughner was named the team's Strength Training Award recipient. This season, the two-year letterwinner earned All-Ohio, All-OAC first team, and Academic All-OAC selections for the first time in her career, in addition to her second consecutive All-Great Lakes Region honor. Laughner placed third at the All-Ohio Division III Championships, eighth at the OAC Championships, 10 th at the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional Championships, and 67th at the NCAA Division III National Championships in 2019, and also earned season and career-best times of 23:17.9 in the 6k and 19:13.7 in the 5k. The neuroscience and biology major is a Dean's List student and carries a 3.73 grade point average as well.

Marek was named the team's Grindstone Award recipient. The three-year letterwinner garnered her second career All-Ohio and All-OAC second team selection in 2019. She has also been an Academic All-OAC selection just one year prior. Marek finished 17th at the All-Ohio Division III Championships, 11th at the OAC Championships, 19th at the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional Championships, and 110th at the NCAA Division III National Championships. She also attained season and career-best times of 22:03.4 in the 6k and 19:31.1 in the 5k. The applied mathematics major is a Dean's List student and holds a 3.5 grade point average.

BW completed the 2019 campaign with a 16th-place finish at the NCAA National Championships; its second consecutive automatic bid to the Big Dance.