Mary Pfeifer
Springfield, Ohio — For the second straight year, Wittenberg cross country standout Mary Pfeifer, class of 2012 from Dublin, Ohio, has been named to the NCAA Division III United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Team. In addition, both the Tiger men's and women's cross country squads earned recognition as USTFCCCA All-Academic teams for the fourth consecutive year.
Pfeifer became just the second Wittenberg women's cross country runner in program history to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships two straight years, finishing in the top 100 nationally in both 2009 and 2010. To earn a spot on the All-Academic Team, Pfeifer maintained a cumulative grade point average above 3.3 while finishing among the top 35 competitors in the 2010 NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region championships.
A biology major, Pfeifer has earned first-team All-North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) honors in each of her first three collegiate seasons while leading the Tigers to their best league and regional finishes ever in 2009 — second in the NCAC meet and seventh in the Great Lakes Regional. She also is a two-time all-region honoree and national qualifier.
"Mary's performance reflects her commitment to her team and the high standards that we have set for academic and athletic success," said Head Coach Craig Penney. "Her achievements both on the course and in the classroom are reflective of the collaborative learning experience at Wittenberg.
"This is Mary's second All-Academic Team award, as well as her second trip to the national championship meet. Both are outstanding accomplishments, and I couldn't be more proud of her."
Both the Tiger men's and women's teams earned All-Academic Team awards for their collective performances in the classroom. The Tiger women were among 167 NCAA Division III programs to receive the honor, while the Tiger men were among 125 Division III programs to make the list. To be considered, a team must have competed and compiled a team score at an NCAA regional meet while earning a minimum team cumulative grade point average of 3.10.
Wittenberg's women placed finished seventh in the NCAC before bouncing back for a strong 12th-place finish at the 2010 NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region championship meet. On the men's side, Wittenberg finished sixth in the conference and 19th in the regional competition. Team members did the job in the classroom as well, with the women compiling a 3.38 team grade point average and the men posting a 3.19 team grade point average.
The USTFCCCA includes more than 8,000 coaching members of all three NCAA divisions as well as high schools from across the country. The organization serves as an advocate for cross country and track and field coaches, providing leadership structure to assist the needs of a diverse membership.
Written By: Ryan Maurer
Photo By: Erin Pence
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