Courtesy Westfield State Sports Information

Westfield State University senior Rachael Cardin has been named to the 2013 Capital One Academic All-District ® women’s track and field/cross country team.

Cardin was selected to the District I squad that encompasses NCAA Division III colleges in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. The prestigious scholar-athlete team was selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
 
The Academic All-District ® squad includes student-athletes from MIT, WPI, Amherst, Wheaton, Southern Maine, Keene State, Worcester State, and Bridgewater State.

Cardin, from Sutton, Mass., majored in both communication and political science. She was named the Westfield State University Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year with a cumulative 3.86 grade point average.

In cross country, Cardin was an all-conference performer, placing fourth in the 2012 conference championships. She finished first in the 1,000 meter run and second in the mile run at the 2013 conference indoor track championships. During the outdoor season, she was the conference 800 meter run champion and placed second in the 1500 meter run.

Cardin was selected the Westfield State most valuable track athlete in 2012 and 2013, and she is Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) nominee for the 2013 NCAA Woman of the Year Award. Cardin was a four-year member of the Westfield State honors program and received academic excellence awards for communication and political science.

“This is a great honor for Rachael and we congratulate her on her outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments,” said Westfield State athletics director Richard Lenfest. “We have had a number of outstanding student-athletes in my eight years at Westfield and we are constantly striving to maintain that trend.”

Ten Westfield State student-athletes have earned Academic All-District ® honors in the past four years. Other Owls honored were: Brittanie McGregor (women’s soccer), Jess Habif (women’s soccer), Amanda Gricus (track and field), Josh Blair (baseball), Rachel Dionne (lacrosse/cross country), Stephanie Bartkus (volleyball), Alicia Gardner (softball), Kerry Arouca (track and field/cross country), and Kate MacLellan (soccer).

As a first-team All-District selection, Cardin’s name has been forwarded to the Academic All-America selection committee, where first-, second- and third-team All-America honorees will be selected in June. The Academic All-District ® teams are divided into eight geographic districts across the United States and Canada.

To be eligible for Academic All-America ® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution, and be nominated by his/her sports information director.