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In a fitting cap to her standout career, Maryville University’s Elizabeth Kiblinger, ’15, ’16, has been voted a CoSIDA first team Academic All-American in Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Kiblinger is Maryville’s 14th Academic All-American all time and just the third student-athlete to earn the distinction twice as she was a member of the All-American second team in 2014-15.
The award recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. Kiblinger, who graduated in May with a 4.00 cumulative GPA as an Elementary and Early Education major, has been one of the top runners in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. She posted top-20 finishes at the 2016 NCAA DII Outdoor National Championships in both the 5,000- and 10,000-meters in Bradenton, Fla.
Kiblinger holds the school record in cross country at the 4K, 5K and 6K distances and finished eighth at the GLVC Championships and 24th at the Midwest Regional meet. She is the school record holder in the indoor 800 meters, mile, 3K, and 5K distances, and has run on two record-breaking relay teams. In outdoor, she has the fastest times from the 800 meters to the 10K, as well as on the 4 X 800 relay team. Kiblinger has won the GLVC championship at both the indoor 5K as well as the outdoor 10K. She earned one of the most prestigious NCAA Awards when she was named the recipient of the Elite 90 Award for indoor track in 2016.
Kiblinger has been chosen the Maryville University Female Student-Athlete of the Year the last two academic years. She also is a two-time USA Track and Field Academic All-American.
To be eligible for Academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 and have reached sophomore in athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution.