March 3, 2010

Center Valley, Pa. - Fresh off a strong performance at the Patriot League Championships, Colgate sophomore Elise DeRoo has been named the League's Women's Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year, it was announced Wednesday. She becomes just the second Colgate student-athlete to win the award and the first since Molly DeMark in 2000.

DeRoo captured two titles at the Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Championships held at West Point on Feb. 19-21. She won the 5,000-meter event with an ECAC-qualifying time of 17:24.85 and took first in the 3,000 meters with a time of 10:00.27, which set a personal record.

During the regular season, DeRoo excelled in distance events for the Raiders. She was named the Katie Almeter MVP of Colgate's Class of '32 Invitational, where she won the mile. A three-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, DeRoo also ran the fastest mile in the League this season (4:58.95) and anchored the fastest mark by a League distance medley relay foursome (11:53.72). She also won the individual title at the 2009 Patriot League Women's Cross Country Championships.

A native of Newtown, Conn., DeRoo is a molecular biology major with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.89.

To be eligible for the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average and be a starter or key player in his/her sport. Freshmen are not eligible for this honor.

The Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year for each individual sport comprises the pool of nominees for the Patriot League Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards given out over the summer. One male and one female are selected for this honor.