ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) crowned its 2014 cross country champions Saturday and, Friday, the league followed up with the announcement of the MIAC Cross Country Elite 22 Award winners. St. Thomas swept the prestigious conference award in men's and women's cross country with Jacob Gerhartz claiming the men's honor, and Erin Statz winning the women's award.  

The MIAC Elite 22 Award recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the conference championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. Modeled after the NCAA Elite 89 Award, the MIAC Elite 22 Award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest grade point average (GPA) in each sport who meet similarly high, sport-specific athletic requirements. 

The Elite 22 award - now in its second season - emerged from the MIAC's strategic plan. It was unanimously approved by the MIAC's governance structure in the spring of 2013, and first awarded during the 2013-14 season.

The MIAC Elite 22 Award in men's and women's cross country is presented to the individual with the highest GPA that is a sophomore, junior or senior and in at least his or her second season of competition with their current team and recognized as a member of the MIAC Cross Country All-Conference team, which includes the top 15 individual finishers at the MIAC Cross Country Championships.

Gerhartz, a sophomore from Sauk Centre, Minn., received the MIAC Men's Cross Country Elite 22 Award thanks to his top-10 finish at Saturday's championship meet and his tremendous work in the classroom. Gerhartz finished 10th individually at the 2014 MIAC Men's Cross Country Championships as he completed the 8K course in 25:32.9. He was the first Tommie runner across the finish line, and led his team to a third-place performance at the MIAC meet. Gerhartz also earned MIAC Athlete-of-the-Week honors on Sept. 2 this season, and he was an All-Conference Honorable Mention runner a year ago, as he finished 19th in 2013.

As impressive as his athletic achievements are, Gerhartz may be even better in the classroom. The St. Thomas sophomore is majoring in Exercise Science and he has earned a perfect 4.0 GPA thus far in his college career. As a sophomore, Gerhartz will be eligible for MIAC Academic All-Conference honors when they are announced in January.

Statz, a senior from Lincoln, Neb. (Pius X H.S.), claimed the MIAC Women's Cross Country Elite 22 Award thanks to her outstanding top-three individual finish in Saturday's race, and her near-perfect GPA. Statz finished third at the 2014 MIAC Women's Cross Country Championships by completing the 6K course in 22:12.2. She led her team to a third-place finish, and received All-Conference honors for her performance. Statz also won a pair of MIAC Athlete-of-the-Week honors this fall (Sept. 9 and 23) and this was her fourth All-Conference honor as she finished in the individual top 10 in each of her four MIAC Championship races.

Statz has similarly high achievements in the classroom. The Tommie senior is pursuing a degree in Political Science and her near-perfect GPA registers at 3.932. Statz has received a total of seven MIAC Academic All-Conference awards throughout her cross country and track and field career, and could be in line for one more when the Fall 2014 awards are announced in January.

A plaque will be provided to Gerhartz and Statz to commemorate their MIAC Elite 22 Award, and they are recognized on the MIAC Elite 22 Award web site, which will archive each of the 22 winners throughout the 2014-15 season. St. Thomas student-athletes have claimed the first four Elite 22 Awards of the young season, as fellow Tommies Alex Kapraun and Rachel Morris won the golf honors last month.

| MIAC Elite 22 Award | 2014-15 MIAC Elite 22 Award Archive |