Oct. 29, 2008
Center Valley, Pa.- Navy junior Erica Ziel was voted the Patriot League Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year, it was announced Wednesday. Ziel is the first Navy women's cross country runner in Patriot League history to win the prestigious award.
Ziel, an honors oceanography major with a cumulative 3.81 grade-point average, was a member of the 2007 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. The junior produced a perfect 4.0 GPA last fall and has been named to the Superintendent's and Commandant's Lists in all four semesters at the Naval Academy. Ziel ranks 80th in her class of 1,115 midshipmen in Academic Order of Merit.
The junior has finished among Navy's top-five runners in every meet and boasted the team's second-best time at three races this season. Ziel recorded four top-10 overall finishes in 2008 and produced the second-fastest Patriot League time of 21:33 at this year's Paul Short Run in the women's 6k.
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.
