North Michigan News

The Women's Cross Country All-Academic teams and athletes for the 2023 NCAA Division II season have been announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The Northern Michigan University Wildcats were recognized for their academic achievements, with three individuals receiving honors.

To earn All-Academic distinction, student-athletes must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale and finish in the top 30 percent of their respective regional championship meet, among other criteria. Teams need a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, including the most recent grading period, and must compile a team score at their regional championship meet.

Three Wildcats received individual All-Academic honors: junior Skylar Grubb (Zoology), and sophomores Gianna Hoving (Elementary Education) and Madi Szymanski (Nursing).

Madi Szymanski participated in the NCAA Championships, finishing in 65th place with a time of 21:06.2 among over 260 runners. Her season was notable as she earned All-GLIAC honors after placing 8th at the conference event and gained All-Region recognition with a 12th place finish in the Midwest. Gianna Hoving placed 45th at the regional meet, while Skylar Grubb followed closely behind in 58th place. Both athletes finished inside the top-30 at the GLIAC Championships.

Under head coach Jenny Ryan's leadership, the Wildcats achieved a team GPA of 3.74, securing their position on this prestigious list and placing them within the top-10 in their region. This past season marked Northern's best regional finish in six years, achieving ninth place out of 32 teams at their regional championship.