BEREA, OHIO — Baldwin-Wallace College senior Kristen Balogh (Loveland) has been selected as a third-team ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-American in the sports of cross country and track. Balogh is the fourth Yellow Jacket student-athlete to receive the honor during the 2007-2008 academic year.
Balogh, a chemistry major who earned a 3.96 grade point average, has been a four-year participant in both cross country and track and field.
This fall in cross country, Balogh earned All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors with a 10th place finish at the OAC Championship Meet as she helped lead the Yellow Jackets to an OAC title. She also placed 56th of 213 runners at the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional Meet and had her best time of the season of 19:24 en route to placing 36th of 135 runners at the Calvin (Mich.) College Invitational Meet.
In indoor track this winter, Balogh helped lead B-W to an OAC title as she placed fourth in the 3000-meter run in 10:55.78, fifth in the 5000 meters in 19:20.85 and eighth in the mile run in 5:32.85. Overall, she helped B-W win three OAC titles in four seasons of indoor track.
In outdoor track this spring, Balogh was a part of the first place 4 x 800-meter relay team that finished in 9:30.48 and she helped B-W place second as a team. She also was fourth individually in the 5000 meters in 18:58.96. Balogh additionally received first-team Academic All-OAC and first-team ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-District IV accolades and helped B-W win a pair of OAC outdoor crowns.
Balogh graduated on May 10 with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and earned Summa Cum Laude honors and a 3.96 grade point average. Following graduate school, she plans to work in pharmaceutical research. She was a member of Alpha Lambda, Laurels, Dayton C. Miller, Kappa Mu Epsilon and Chi Sigma Alpha honor societies. As a sophomore in 2005-2006, Balogh earned the Jacket Scholar Award. As a junior in 2006-2007, she earned the Lubrizol Foundation Chemistry Award. As a senior in 2007-2008, Balogh was Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference, an ESPN THE MAGZINE Academic All-District IV selection and awared the American Institute of Chemists Award.
“We are extremely pleased for Kristen and her family,” said Yellow Jacket veteran track and cross country coach Dr. Bill Taraschke. “She was an outstanding student, team leader and competitor. Kristen excelled at the highest level in each area and we are proud of her accomplishments. We will sorely miss Kristen next fall and wish her the very best in all of her future endeavors.”
Balogh joins graduated three-time ESPN Academic All-America football punter Kevin Soflkiancs (Middleburg Heights/ Midpark), graduated two-time Academic All-American soccer forward Matt Pietro (Canfield) and junior baseball centerfielder Matthew “Cody” Kidd (Wellington) as B-W’s other 2007-2008 selections. B-W now has 72 ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-America student-athletes since the program began in 1970. The 72 selections represents the most of any Ohio Athletic Conference institution.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact B-W Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327, by FAX machine at 440-826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu .To contact Head Coach Bill Taraschke, please call 440-826-3322 or e-mail at wtarasch@bw.edu . You can get all of the latest B-W athletics information by visiting our Web site at www.bw.edu/athletics.
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