Wednesday, October 4, 2023
by Evan O'Kelly

PORTLAND, Ore. – A total of 95 female and male cross country student-athletes garnered academic all-GNAC distinction for the fall 2023 season as the conference office announced the award winners on Wednesday.

The array of selections featured 50 first-time award winners and 45 repeat winners, including 19 student-athletes to earn the award a third time and two who garnered recognition for the fourth time in their careers. A total of 51 women’s runners and 44 men’s runners were among the selections.

Men’s & Women’s Cross Country Combined – Academic All-GNAC - Presented by Barnes & Noble College

Total Selections: 95 | Fourth year: 2 | Third year: 19 | Second year: 24 | Newcomers: 50

Earning the rare distinction of a fourth-year winner were Alaska’s Mike Ophoff and Western Washington’s Andrew Oslin, who are both fifth-year seniors on their respective rosters. Reigning GNAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Year Coleman Nash of Alaska Anchorage maintained his perfect 4.00 GPA into his junior season, and was one of four men’s runners to tie for the highest mark in the conference. Central Washington sophomore Steiner Christensen (computer science), Western Oregon junior Rami Dear (business), and Nash’s teammate junior Michael Zapherson (management) were the other men’s runners to hold a perfect 4.00 GPA.

Five women’s runners posted a perfect 4.00 GPA, three of which were repeat selections from the 2022 season. Western Washington junior Delphine Maurer and Western Oregon junior Josie Ackerman each had a perfect 4.00 GPA while appearing on the list for the second straight campaign. Three academic all-GNAC newcomers in WWU’s Elie Bassett, WOU’s Kaitlyn Kruse and UAA’s Tressa Wood also tied for the top GPA in the conference.

To qualify for academic all-conference, student-athletes must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.20, must be in at least their second season competing for their team and must have competed on the course during the 2023 campaign.

Academic All-GNAC – Women’s Cross Country – 2023 - Presented by Barnes & Noble College

Academic All-GNAC – Men’s Cross Country – 2023 - Presented by Barnes & Noble College