Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Valparaiso placed a league-high four student-athletes on the 2009 women’s indoor track and field Academic All-Horizon League squad, as Amanda Body (Harlan, Ky./Harlan), Alyssa Bradford (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago), Laura Rolf (Rochester, Mich./Lutheran Northwest) and Windy Santa Cruz (Fall Creek, Wis./Fall Creek) were all honored by the league for their success on the track and in the classroom.

Body, a senior who carries a 3.345 cumulative GPA as a double major in political science and English, posted top-four finishes at the Horizon League Indoor Championships in the 60m dash, 200m dash and long jump.  The senior, who placed among the top-10 in 23 of her 24 events during the indoor campaign, set new school records in the 60m dash and 200m dash, giving her three of Valpo’s indoor school records.  Body was named to the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll for the fall 2008 semester.

Bradford, a junior who carries a 3.981 cumulative GPA as an exercise science major, finished fourth for the Crusaders at the Indoor Championships in the 800m run.  She won the one mile run at the Mike Lints Alumni Open earlier in the season and earned U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors after posting two top-three finishes at the Chicagoland Championships.  The junior has been a member of the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll each of Valpo’s three semesters in the league and has earned Presidential academic honors.

Rolf, a senior who carries a 3.577 cumulative GPA as a new media-journalism major, was named the Most Outstanding Running Performer at the Indoor Championships after winning both the 3,000m and 5,000m runs in championship-record times, the latter of which was also a school record.  She posted five victories over her seven races on the season, earning league Athlete of the Week honors twice.  Previously a two-time cross country Academic All-League honoree, Rolf has earned Presidential academic honors during her time at Valpo and was an Academic All-District V Second Team honoree in 2007.