Czajka, Schauff represent Northern Illinois on women's cross country Academic All-MAC unit
CLEVELAND, OH--- It's the true calling of the modern-day student-athlete. Find a way to simultaneously balance the responsibilities and commitments that come along with being exactly that---a student and an athlete. Northern Illinois University women's cross country runners Alicja Czajka and Jessica Schauff have done exactly that this fall.

Czajka (Swarzedz, Poland / Poznan) and Schauff (Dixon) were named to the 2004 Academic All Mid-American Conference team as announced by league comissioner Rick Chryst Tuesday (Nov. 9). The 15-member squad was voted on last week by faculty athletic representatives at MAC institutions. To qualify, an athlete must have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests this season and carried a 3.20 cumulative grade point average.

The duo finished as the top two Huskie placewinners in five of the seven events they competed in together this year. Czajka posted the fastest time in each of those five events while Schauff paced the Huskie pack in the one event Czajka missed---the George Dales Invitational back on Sept. 24.

"It's a great honor for Alicja and Jessica to be named to the Academic All-MAC team," NIU head coach Gretchen Folck explained. "Both runners have been very dedicated on and off the course all season. They've emerged as leaders on this team and have worked extremely hard to excel in their studies as well as in their races."

A fifth-year senior with a 3.22 GPA in psychology, Czajka made her extra year of eligibility count, breaking the 18:40 barrier three times to run three of the fastest seven times in school history. She started early, winning the Huskie Open in the first week of the year before heading to Peoria and pacing an 18:33 to place ninth at the Bradley Open. The very next week, Czajka ripped off another 18:33 to earn 12th place against a strong MAC contingent at the Central Collegiate Championships.

Distance obviously didn't matter either, as Czajka came within one-half second setting the all-time Northern Illinois six-kilometer record by running a 22:04.94 that also earned her a fifth-place finish at the Bradley Invitational one week later. Bouncing back to five kilometers, she broke 18:40 again seven days later with a time of 18:39.2 that led the Huskies to an event title at the Benedictine Eagle Invitational.

Schauff, on the other hand, is moving her way through the NIU ranks, establishing herself as a solid, dependable No. 2 runner though only a sophomore. The Dixon native---who boasts an impressive 3.91 GPA in business---hovered right around the 19:00 mark all season, breaking it once in her second meet of the season with an 18:55 at the Bradley Open. She followed that up with back-to-back efforts of 19:07 and 19:05---the latter of which led all Huskies and was good enough for sixth place at the George Dales Invitational.

Both runners are scheduled to toe the line one more time this fall, taking on some of the best runners in the region at the NCAA Midwest Regional Saturday (Nov. 13). Starting gun is set to be shot off in Peoria at 11:00 a.m. (CST).

-NIU-

2004 Women's Cross Country Academic All-MAC Team
Name, School Year GPA Major Hometown
Jennie Castle, Akron Sr. 3.74 Communications Barnesville, OH
Morgan Sulzener, Akron Jr. 3.79 Exercise Science New Philadelphia, OH
Jill Scully, Ball State Sr. 3.44 Mathematics Valparaiso, IN
Jennie Donofrio, Buffalo Jr. 3.98 Exercise Science Penfield, NY
Jennifer Jezorski, Buffalo Jr. 3.61 Speech & Hearing Science Elmira, NY
Jenny Koeppel, Buffalo Sr. 3.63 Mathematics Amherst, NY
Teresa Bongiovanni, Central Michigan Jr. 3.88 Health Fitness Washington, MI
Stephanie Blackstone, Kent State So. 4.00 Photo Illustration Everett, PA
Jeanna Fascione, Kent State Jr. 3.91 Exercise Physiology North Royalton, OH
Jennifer Fascione, Kent State Sr. 3.58 Middle Childhood Education North Royalton, OH
Molly Hammer, Kent State Jr. 3.96 Computer Info Systems Elyria, OH
Alicja Czajka, Northern Illinois Sr. 3.22 Psychology Swarzedz, Poland
Jessica Schauff, Northern Illinois So. 3.91 Business Dixon, IL
Ali Green, Ohio Jr. 3.88 Magazine Journalism Lancaster, OH
Merly Marsh, Western Michigan Sr. 3.34 Music Hartland, MI
Carrie Smeltzer, Western Michigan Sr. 3.46 Biomedical Studies Monroe, MI