Adams Named Patriot League Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Senior Nora Adams was named the Patriot League Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Friday, and was joined on the Academic All-Patriot League team by two of her Bucknell teammates, The Bison have now won women's cross country's top academic award in consecutive seasons after Katie Jessee wrapped up her career with the honor last year.

Adams, junior Kate Scott and sophomore Christine Bendzinski took three of the seven spots on the academic squad one week after leading Bucknell to the team title at the Patriot League Championships. Army's West Point's Madison Hill, Boston University's Shelby Stableford, Holy Cross's Hannah Jeter, and Navy's Morgan O'Connor rounded out the honorees.

Adams has been perfect in the classroom through her first three years at Bucknell, posting a 4.0 GPA as a double major in linguistics and psychology. A six-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll selection in cross country and track and field, the senior has also earned the Presidents' Award for Distinguished Academic Excellence. She becomes Bucknell's 10 Patriot League Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year – the most of any school in the conference – and the fourth since Kevin Donner took over the program in 2001.

The Bison won the Patriot League title in dominant fashion, and Adams was a key member. She picked up Second Team All-Patriot League recognition, the first of her career, by taking 13^th in a field of 109 runners.

Scott was Bucknell's top runner in all four races she ran in this season, including a runner-up finish at the championship meet. She landed a spot on the All-Patriot League First Team, adding it to her Second Team accolade last year. She added two Patriot League Runner of the Week awards during the regular season. Scott majors in history and is a member of the Academic Honor Roll in both cross country and track and field.

Bendzinski has been outstanding in her first two seasons as a Bison runner. After just missing All-League honors with a 15^th-place finish last year, she jumped all the way to First Team status with a third-place showing at this season's championship meet. She adds that to her Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Rookie of the Meet award. Bendzinski is a member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll in both cross country and track and field while majoring in cell biology and biochemistry.

Bucknell took six of the 14 All-Patriot League honors at the championship meet. Junior Sarah Chandler joined Scott and Bendzinski on the First Team, while senior Deanna Godby and freshman Christine O'Kane joined Adams on the Second Team.

Donner was named the Patriot League Coach of the Year following the meet. He has won the award in women's cross country five times in his 15 years at Bucknell.

Bucknell will compete in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships at Princeton on Friday, Nov. 13. The Bison are ranked eighth in the region, the highest of any team from the Patriot League.