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Leah Raffety earns Academic All-MAC honor

January 15, 2014
Leah Raffety

Leah Raffety

Northern Illinois University redshirt freshman Leah Raffety (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) was named to the 2013 Academic All Mid-American Conference Women’s Cross Country Team, the league office announced Wednesday.

Raffety, a pre-physical therapy major, earned the honor in her first season of eligibility. Her recognition also marks the fourth consecutive season in which at least one Huskie was named to the conference list.

“This is a great honor for Leah,” said NIU head coach Greg Hipp. “She has shown discipline and kept the priorities of a successful student-athlete. I’m sure this is just one of many athletic and academic awards we’ll see for her over her career as a Huskie.”

Raffety ran at six meets in 2013 and won the NIU Open individual title with a time of 19:29.85. She posted a season-best 5K time of 18:39.72 at the Illinois State Invitational and placed 45th at the MAC Championships with a time of 23:02.42.

On a 6K course, she notched a season-low time of 22:20.00 at the Bradley Classic.

The Academic All-MAC honor is for student-athletes who have excelled in both athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the races. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award.

For more information on NIU cross country and Huskie athletics, visit www.niuhuskies.com.