CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) — The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced the 2023 Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Academic All-MAC Teams, today, Dec. 5. 12 student-athletes garnered the accolade from the Eastern Michigan programs, including nine from the women’s team and three from the men’s.
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in 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 contests for that particular sport.
A total of 42 male student-athletes from the MAC were named to this year’s squad.
Central Michigan led the way with 9 student-athletes honored, while Buffalo and Toledo followed with 7.
Eastern’s male honorees included Sam Peterson (Charlevoix, Mich./Charlevoix), Grant Sweningson (North Tustin, Calif./Foothills) and Kian Wiles (Hull, England/St. Mary’s College). All three selections mark the first of their respective careers.
As for the women, a total of 68 student-athletes were named to this year’s team.
Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan led the way with 9 student-athletes on this year’s team. Ohio had 8, while Northern Illinois and Toledo had 7 honored.
The Eagles’ selections from the women’s team consist of Esme Davies (Lake District, England/Queen Elizabeth Grammar School), Sofia Ivanko (Buenos Aires, Argentina/St. Matthew’s College), Marta Moreno (Wassenaar, Netherlands/American School of The Hague), Tabatha Walford (Northhamptonshire, England/Bishop Stopford/Nevada), Ella Garvin (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike), Kiera Hansen (Freedland, Mich./Freedland), Chloie Musta (Mesick, Mich./Cadillac), Elena Wheeler (Plymouth, Mich./Salem), and Cara Weber (Union, Ky./Larry A. Ryle).
Davies’ honor marks her fourth consecutive while Moreno’s and Musta’s mark their second. The six remaining Eagles each captured their first selection to the team in Ivanko, Walford, Garvin, Hansen, Wheeler and Weber.
Men’s Honorees
Akron (3)
Kyle Stober, Sr., Mechanical Engineering, 3.931
Anthony Nichols, So., Sport Management, 3.697
Zayd Elkurd, Fr. (R), Nursing, 3.427
Buffalo (7)
William Marchant – Senior – Computer Science – 3.384
Johann Matzal – Graduate Student – Business Administration – 4.0
Matt Gensel – Sophomore – Computer Science – 4.0
Sean O’Brien – Senior – Mechanical Engineering – 3.45
Luke Stoeffler – Sophomore – Aerospace Engineering – 3.98
Jacob Brink – Sophomore – Electrical Engineering – 3.71
Alex Hislop – Graduate Student – Exercise Science/Physical Therapy – 3.775
Central Michigan (9)
Blake Chipman, Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering, 3.4 GPA
Jason Fredricks, Sophomore, Undeclared, 3.56 GPA
Gabe Goosen, Redshirt Senior, Master of Business Administration, 3.85 GPA
Clay Kuiper, Sophomore, Public Relations, 3.68 GPA
Ethan Leitner, Sophomore, Undeclared, 3.84 GPA
Steven Porter, Junior, Statistics, 3.98 GPA
Hong Bing Tang, Sophomore, Computer Engineering 4.0 GPA
Joey Taverna, Sophomore, Computer Engineering, 3.53 GPA
Carson White, Junior, Environmental Engineering, 3.93 GPA
Eastern Michigan (3)
Sam Peterson, Sophomore, Media Studies and Journalism, 3.54
Grant Sweningson, Sophomore, Criminology and Criminal Justice, 3.83
Kian Wiles, Sophomore, Exercise Science, 3.53
Kent State (4)
Evan Alten, Junior, General Business, 3.642
Michael Arner, Junior, Aeronautics, 3.928
Jacob Mirabell, Senior, Middle Childhood Education, 3.210
Ethan Yost, Senior, Integrated Social Studies, 3.502
Miami (7)
Ben Bayless, Senior, Political Science, 3.22
Dan Conway, Graduate, Mechanical Engineering, 3.59
Charles Harders, Graduate, Computer Science, 3.28
Anton Martinez, Sophomore, Data Science and Statistics, 3.97
Victor Orsinelli, Junior, Supply Chain & Operations Mgmt/Marketing, 3.81
Johnny Sayle, Senior, Computer Science, 3.87
Patrick Wills, Sophomore, Political Science, 3.78
Ohio (2)
Sam Beeler, So., Civil Engineering (3.321)
Rocco DeVincent, So., Finance/Business Pre-Law (3.867)
Toledo (7)
Geoff Howles, Senior, University Studies, 3.577
Gavin Lammers, Junior, Mechanical Engineering, 3.735
Cooper Losey, Senior, Electrical Engineering, 3.790
Dennis Mutai, Sophomore, Nursing, 3.281
Jake Rethman, Senior, Biology, 3.983
Joshuah Taylor, Pre-Entrepreneurship Family & Business, 3.768
Ben Towler, Senior, Special Ed. Intervention Specialist, 3.618
Women’s Honorees
Akron (1)
Makenna Heimlich, Sr., Business, 4.00 (Grad)
Ball State (5)
Jessica Velez, Junior, Journalism, 3.952
Sarah Mahnensmith, Junior, Special Education, 3.917
Carly Spletzer, Junior, Speech-Language Pathology, 3.814
Shelby Christman, Senior, Nursing, 3.706
Ella Fullmer, Junior, Architecture, 3.531
Buffalo (5)
Anna Recktenwalt – Junior – Speech & Hearing Science – 3.643
Lexie Bernard – Sophomore – Exercise Science– 3.393
Bronagh Cassidy – Sophomore – Chemistry – 3.655
Chloe Freeland – Junior – Sociology – 3.959
Libby Powers – Senior – Exercise Science – 3.617
Central Michigan (9)
Annie Bennett, Redshirt Sophomore, Sport Management, 3.95
Jessie Gibbins, Sophomore, Biology. 4.0
Alexis Gourrier, Redshirt Senior, Counseling (MA), 3.98
Kate Jenkins, Sophomore, Marketing, 3.71
Natalie Newcombe, Redshirt Junior, Public Relations, 3.69
Emily Paupore, Redshirt Junior, Elementary Education, 3.94
Jelena Prescott, Redshirt Junior, Finance, 3.8
Maija Rettelle, Redshirt Senior, Applied Stats and Analytics (MS), 3.83
Anya Turner, Redshirt Senior, Kinesiology, 3.7
Eastern Michigan (9)
Esme Davies, Senior, Communications, 3.76
Sofia Ivanko, Senior, Exercise Science, 3.90
Marta Moreno, Junior, Art, 3.53
Tabatha Walford, Senior, Clinical Mental Health Counsel, 4.00
Ella Garvin, Junior, Psychology, 3.66
Kiera Hansen, Sophomore, Animation and Gaming, 3.65
Chloie Musta, Junior, Nursing, 3.64
Elena Wheeler, Sophomore, Business Administration, 4.00
Cara Weber, Junior, Interior Design, 3.34
Kent State (5)
Olivia Fenneken, Junior, Business Management, 3.418
Sydney Gallagher, Junior, Biology, 4.000
Ariana Manos, Junior, English, 4.000
Sydney Miller, Junior, Early Childhood Education, 3.490
Karsyn Spears, Sophomore, Finance, 3.906
Miami (6)
Ella Boate, Junior, Anthropology/Public Health, 3.45
Annie Christie, Junior, Political Science/Sociology, 3.62
Gianna Labbiento, Junior, Biology/Premedical Studies, 3.98
Hannah Lippincott, Sophomore, Biochemistry/Sustainability, 3.88
Julia Rushing, Senior, Public Health, 3.86
Jenna Sayle, Graduate, Computer Science, 3.45
Northern Illinois (7)
Lydia Bauer, Sophomore, Nutrition, Dietetics, & Wellness, 4.0
Julia Finegan, Senior, Software Development, 4.0
Joy Jackson, Junior, Sociology/Criminology, 4.0
Carly Leonard, Senior, Kinesiology, 3.699
Emma Planck, Grad Student, Biological Sciences, 3.927
Katelyn Robbins, Fifth Year, Nursing, 3.583
Emma Vorpagel, Junior, Finance, 3.815
Ohio (8)
Theresa Hagey, Jr., Nursing (3.298)
Leila Boussedra, So., Environmental & Plant Biology (3.626)
Kelsi Harris, Jr., Psychology (3.692)
Sarah Liederbach, Jr., Chemical Engineering (3.599)
Kenna Loveless, Sr., Exercise Physiology (3.73)
Allie Martin, So., Psychology (3.312)
Alyssa Mason, So., Marketing (3.445)
Carina Weaver, 5th yr., Exercise Physiology (3.497)
Toledo (7)
Alex Bauer, Junior, Psychology, 3.911
Jaydon Cirincione, Sophomore, Environmental Science, 3.821
Julia Dames, Senior, Nursing, 3.742
Aubrey Duhaime, Sophomore, Business, 3.495
Morgan Hicks, Junior, Nursing, 3.965
Karina James, Sophomore, Health Care Administration, 3.871
Madeline Vining, Senior, Economics, 3.901
Western Michigan (6)
Delaney Knoll, Junior, Accountancy, 4.00
Lauren Sancrant, Sophomore, Fashion Merchandising and Design, 3.85
Kayla Schiera, Graduate Student, Exercise Science, 3.50
Brooke Soper, Senior, Digital Media and Journalism, 3.78
Katelyn Spooner, Graduate Student, Accountancy, 3.75
Madison Zarembski, Sophomore, Pre-Elementary Education, 3.94
To stay up-to-date on all things Eastern Michigan cross country and track & field, be sure to follow the teams on X (@EMUXC_TF), Instagram (@EMUXC_TF) and Facebook (@EMUXCTF).
