Senior Kaitlyn Benner is the 2017 Pac-12 Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Photo by: Ken Moreland
Benner Named Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of The Year
October 27, 2017 | Cross Country, Herbst Academic Center
BOULDER – Colorado senior Kaitlyn Benner has been named the Pac-12 Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the league office announced on Friday prior to the racing of the conference championships. The award, which is presented in each of the 23 sports the Pac-12 sponsors, was established to honor collegiate student-athletes that are standouts both academically and in their sports discipline.
Benner is a two-time NCAA Cross Country All-American and is majoring in chemical and biological engineering. Through her first six semesters at CU, she has recorded a 3.93 grade point average. Benner has been a member of the Dean's list all six semesters and has recorded a 4.0 GPA three times. She has been a Pac-12 All-Academic First Team member twice and a USTFCCCA All-Academic selection three times.
The Superior, Colo., native has been named to the All-Pac-12 First Team twice; she was the runner-up in 2015 and was fourth in 2016. Benner has also earned all-region recognition all three years – her highest finish at regionals was a second-place finish in 2015. In her time with the Buffs, she has helped the team to back-to-back Pac-12 team titles (2015 and 16), as well as an NCAA runner-up finish in 2015 and a third-place finish in 2016.
This is the second straight year the Buffs have earned the honor on the women's side as Erin Clark was the women's recipient in 2016. In total, four Buffs have earned the award in the last three years. Morgan Pearson (2015) and Ben Saarel (2016) won the men's honor back-to-back years.
In order to be eligible for the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must be a senior (in athletics eligibility) on track to receive a degree, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, participate in at least 50 percent of the scheduled contests in the sport and have a minimum one year in residence at the institution. Each Pac-12 institution may nominate one individual per sport, and the winners are selected by a committee of Pac-12 staff members at the conclusion of each sport's regular season. The athletics accomplishments of the nominees are a consideration in voting for the award.
A Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be named in each of the Pac-12's 23 sponsored sports: baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, beach volleyball, men's cross country, women's cross country, football, men's golf, women's golf, women's gymnastics, men's rowing, women's rowing, men's soccer, women's soccer, softball, men's swimming & diving, women's swimming & diving, men's tennis, women's tennis, men's track & field, women's track & field, women's volleyball, and wrestling. The award was first established during the 2008-09 academic year.
Benner is a two-time NCAA Cross Country All-American and is majoring in chemical and biological engineering. Through her first six semesters at CU, she has recorded a 3.93 grade point average. Benner has been a member of the Dean's list all six semesters and has recorded a 4.0 GPA three times. She has been a Pac-12 All-Academic First Team member twice and a USTFCCCA All-Academic selection three times.
The Superior, Colo., native has been named to the All-Pac-12 First Team twice; she was the runner-up in 2015 and was fourth in 2016. Benner has also earned all-region recognition all three years – her highest finish at regionals was a second-place finish in 2015. In her time with the Buffs, she has helped the team to back-to-back Pac-12 team titles (2015 and 16), as well as an NCAA runner-up finish in 2015 and a third-place finish in 2016.
This is the second straight year the Buffs have earned the honor on the women's side as Erin Clark was the women's recipient in 2016. In total, four Buffs have earned the award in the last three years. Morgan Pearson (2015) and Ben Saarel (2016) won the men's honor back-to-back years.
In order to be eligible for the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must be a senior (in athletics eligibility) on track to receive a degree, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, participate in at least 50 percent of the scheduled contests in the sport and have a minimum one year in residence at the institution. Each Pac-12 institution may nominate one individual per sport, and the winners are selected by a committee of Pac-12 staff members at the conclusion of each sport's regular season. The athletics accomplishments of the nominees are a consideration in voting for the award.
A Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be named in each of the Pac-12's 23 sponsored sports: baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, beach volleyball, men's cross country, women's cross country, football, men's golf, women's golf, women's gymnastics, men's rowing, women's rowing, men's soccer, women's soccer, softball, men's swimming & diving, women's swimming & diving, men's tennis, women's tennis, men's track & field, women's track & field, women's volleyball, and wrestling. The award was first established during the 2008-09 academic year.