Contact: Sam Fretto, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, sjfretto@noctrl.edu

USTFCCCA All-Academic Teams
USTFCCCA All-Academic Individuals

(Jan. 30, 2025)- For a 20th consecutive season, the North Central College women's cross country team has earned the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic team award. The Cardinals also had two student-athletes earn the individual award for excellence in the classroom and on the track. 

The Cardinals earned a 3.397 cumulative grade-point average to earn the honors for a 20th straight year. In order to qualify for the All-Academic award, teams must have at least a 3.1 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale for the fall semester.

Other College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) teams joining North Central on the All-Academic Teams are Augustana College, Carthage College, Illinois Wesleyan University, Millikin University, North Park University and Wheaton College. 

Julia Benes has earned the All-Academic individual award for a third time in her career after an individual bid in the NCAA Division III Cross Country National Championship in Terre Haute, Indiana, where she placed 112th. 

Lily Anderson joins Benes as an All-Academic individual award recipient, making her a two-time All-Academic award winner. 

To qualify for the All-Academic individual distinction, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale and finish in the top 25 percent of their respective regional championship meet. 

North Central finished seventh in the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship to cap off 2024.

Download the free North Central Cardinals app, available for iOS and Android devices, to receive up-to-the-minute news, scores and updates on your favorite North Central teams. Click HERE for more information.