CLEVELAND – Four members of the Northern Illinois University cross country team have earned Academic All-Mid-American Conference honors, the league office announced on Thursday (Dec. 19). Morgan Gioia (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South), Carly Leonard (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./College of Lake County), Olivia Southby (New South Wales, Australia/Washburn) and Emma Vorpagel (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) each collected the conference honor. 

For Vorpagel, this year's academic honor is her third Academic All-MAC Cross Country award. A finance major with a 3.805 GPA, Vorpagel also collected the recognition in 2022 and 2023. The Hartland, Wis., native competed in four events for the Huskies this fall. 

Leonard, a sports and exercise psychology major with a 3.677 GPA, has received Academic All-MAC honors for the second consecutive year. Leonard ran in four events for NIU in 2024. 

Gioia, a psychology major with a 3.966 GPA, and Southby, a sport management major with a 3.556 GPA, are both collecting the recognition for the first time. Gioia ran a collegiate best 6K at the Bradley Pink Classic (24:27.6) while Southby ran her collegiate best 6K time at the Redbird Invitational (25:25.2). 

The Academic All-MAC distinction honors student-athletes who demonstrate outstanding dedication to both their academic and athletic pursuits. To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.20 and participate in at least 50% of their team's competitions during the season.

NIU Cross Country Academic All-MAC Honorees
Morgan Gioia, Sophomore, Psychology, 3.966
Carly Leonard, Grad Student, Sports and Exercise Psychology, 3.677
Olivia Southby, Senior, Sport Management, 3.556
Emma Vorpagel, Senior, Finance, 3.805