Nov. 5, 2010

Center Valley, Pa. -- Colgate junior Elise DeRoo was voted the Patriot League Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year and earned one of the seven spots on the Women's Cross Country Academic All-Patriot League Team, announced Friday. The awards were voted on by cross country sports information directors in the Patriot League.

The Academic All-Patriot League Team was added for all sports beginning in the 2010-11 season to honor additional student-athletes who excel both on and off the field. The Women's Cross Country Academic All-Patriot League Team has seven student-athletes to equal the size of the sport's All-Patriot League first team.

Joining DeRoo on the team are American senior Erin Koch, Bucknell junior Alysha Hooper, Lehigh junior Katherine Pierce, Bucknell senior Sarah Moniz, Colgate senior Julie Tarallo and Navy sophomore Brigid Byrne.

DeRoo, who won her second straight Patriot League cross country title at Lafayette College Oct. 30 with her school record time of 19:17, has a 3.90 GPA in molecular biology. The junior, who was named the Female Scholar-Athlete in both indoor and outdoor track and field last season, also was selected as the 2010 Colgate Female Athlete of the Year. Her record time in 2010 helped the Raiders win their first team title in school history.

The Newtown, Conn., native was one of six athletes selected for Academic All-Patriot League to have finished in the top 14 at the Patriot League championships.

Moniz joined DeRoo on the League's first team with her seventh-place finish at the meet. Moniz has a 3.43 GPA in neuroscience.

Koch, Tarallo, Pierce and Hooper were all named the League's second team. Koch, who has a 3.91 GPA as a graduate student studying mathematics, placed eighth, while Tarallo, a philosophy major with a 3.45 GPA, finished ninth. Pierce, who was 10th, has a 3.51 GPA. She is pursuing an integrated degree in engineering arts and sciences, focusing in architecture and design arts. Hooper placed 14th at the meet and has a 3.66 GPA in computer science.

Byrne was one of Navy's top four finishers at every meet this season, and has posted a 3.89 GPA as an English major.

To be eligible for the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award and the Academic All-Patriot League Team, 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 or students in their first academic year at their school are not eligible for the 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.

2010 Female Scholar-Athlete: Elise DeRoo, Colgate

2010 Female Academic All-Patriot League Team
Elise DeRoo, Colgate
Erin Koch, American
Alysha Hooper, Bucknell
Katherine Pierce, Lehigh
Sarah Moniz, Bucknell
Julie Tarallo, Colgate
Brigid Byrne, Navy