Dec. 3, 2009

CLEVELAND - Three Miami University women's cross country runners have been tabbed Academic All-Mid-American Conference, the league office announced Wednesday evening, all three of which were also on the 2008 Academic All-MAC squad. Senior Kelsey McHugh (Columbus, Ohio), who earned Academic All-MAC distinction for the third straight year, was joined by fellow senior Amanda Mirochna (Naperville, Ill.) and junior Katie Lenahan (Cincinnati, Ohio) on the 2009 team, after both received the same distinction a year ago.

McHugh joins Andrea Kremer (2001-03) and Jennie Stoll (2005-07) as the only women's RedHawk cross country runners to ever earn Academic All-MAC honors three times.

The RedHawks have now placed at least three runners on the Academic All-MAC Team each of the last three years and their three recipients this year marks the most of any MAC school, as Akron, Ball State, Central Michigan, Kent State and Toledo each placed two runners on the 15-member squad.

McHugh, a zoology major with a team-best 3.93 grade-point average, was a Second-Team All-MAC performer this year and finished in Miami's top three in four of six races this year. At the MAC Championship, she was third on the team and 11th overall (23:00) to help Miami win a second straight league title. At the 5K All-Ohio Championship, McHugh was Miami's top finisher in a 5K season-best 18:55, placing ninth overall (of 285 runners), earning her MAC Runner of the Week honors. She was second on the team at both the Spartan Invitational, claiming 14th overall (22:11), and Pre-Nationals, crossing in 107th in a 6K season-best time of 22:09. She also took 15th overall at the Dayton 5K Invitational.

Mirochna, who is a social studies education major with a 3.49 GPA, was a First-Team All-MAC performer this year, leading Miami to its second straight MAC title by placing third overall at the MAC Championship in 22:32 as Miami's top finisher. She was also Miami's first finisher at Pre-Nationals, taking 73rd in a Miami 6K season-best time of 21:52, and at the Spartan Invitational where she placed 10th overall (22:02). At the 5K All-Ohio Championship, Mirochna was second on the team and 10th overall (18:56), while finishing ninth overall at the season-opening Dayton 5K Invitational (18:45) to help Miami win the race.

Lenahan is a chemistry major with a 3.23 GPA. A Second-Team All-MAC performer this year, she ran her fastest 6K race of the year at Pre-Nationals, placing third on the team and 116th overall in a career-best time of 22:13 (the 14th-fastest performer in Miami history). At the season-opening Dayton 5K Invitational, she placed fifth overall in 18:24 to help Miami claim the team title. At the MAC Championship, she was fifth on the team and 13th overall (23:02), helping the RedHawks win a second straight league title. Lenahan also finished in Miami's scoring five at the 5K All-Ohio Championship, taking 23rd overall (19:22) out of 285 runners.

To be eligible for the Academic All-MAC team, student-athletes must have completed at least one year at their institution, competed in at least half the team's races and have a cumulative GPA above 3.20.

Although the cross country season ended just a few weeks ago, all three, along with the rest of the Miami women's track and field team, will be in action this weekend at the Findlay Oiler Open to commence the 2009-10 indoor track and field season. Action begins Friday, Dec. 4 with the meet concluding Saturday, Dec. 5.

--MURedHawks.com--

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