NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Wellesley College cross country has received the honor of being a U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Team for an 11th consecutive season. Additionally, senior Alicia Naranjo-Champion (El Monte, Calif.) and juniors Emily Brydges (Suffield, Conn.), Claire Peng (Chapel Hill, N.C.) and Ella Whinney (Madison, Wis.) have all been named USTFCCCA All-Academic Athletes. 

To qualify for All-Academic distinction, teams must have a cumulative GPA of 3.1 on a 4.0 scale. The Blue earned a cumulative GPA of 3.69 for the fall semester.

To qualify for All-Academic distinction, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.30 on a 4.0 scale and finish in the top-25 percent of starters at their respective regional championship meet. Whinney placed third out of 192 runners at the 2024 NCAA Division III East Regional Championship with a time of 21:52.69. Peng claimed 40th place with a time of 23:25.25. Brydges ran a time of 23:38.84 and finished 45th. Naranjo-Champion captured 57th with a 23:51.98 performance.

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is a non-profit professional organization representing cross country and track & field coaches of all levels. The organization represents thousands of coaching members encompassing NCAA track & field programs (DI, DII, and DIII) and includes members representing the NAIA and NJCAA, as well as a number of state high school coaches associations. The USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & field coaches, providing a leadership structure to assist the needs of a diverse membership, serving as a lobbyist for coaches' interests, and working as a liaison between the various stakeholders in the sports of cross country and track & field.