AUSTIN, Texas - Junior women's track & field/cross country runner Leah Esposito has been named as the 2015-16 College Division Academic All-America® of the Year, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
 
The College Division Academic All-America® teams are comprised of student-athletes from NAIA, Canadian and two-year institutions. This the fifth year that CoSIDA has named College Division Academic All-America® teams.
 
Esposito is the fifth student-athlete to earn the College Division Academic All-America® of the Year and the first track & field/cross country performer to earn the award. Park University women's volleyball player Wanessa Siqueira captured the award last year. Men's soccer player Stephen Lunney (Martin Methodist College) collected the honor in 2013-14. Women's soccer player Mia Persson (Lindsey Wilson College) earned the award in 2012-13 while Jamie Achten of the Lee University women's soccer team was selected in 2011-12.
 
"This means a lot to me," said Esposito. "I see myself as a pretty well-rounded student and athlete and to get this recognition is pretty it awesome. It also means a lot to bring credit to this school, the city I grew up in and all of my teachers in high school and professors that taught me to study hard, push my limits and not be afraid of taking risks in the classroom.
 
"My dad was a professor here, my mom went to school here and both of my sisters attend here," added Esposito. "The professors at Carroll have pushed me to be the best and really prepared me for veterinary school."
 
The 2016 NAIA indoor national champion in the mile, Esposito is a native of Clancy, Montana, with a 4.00 G.P.A. in biology. The 2015 NAIA indoor national champion in the 1,000-meter run has earned All-America honors 16 times in her career and capped it off with her final one during the outdoor season in leading the Carroll 4x800 relay team to fourth at outdoor nationals.
 
"Leah is more than deserving of this honor," said Carroll head track and field coach Harry Clark said. "She has shown time and time again that she is a fierce competitor and a huge part of our success. What she does in the classroom is just as impressive."
 
Esposito was named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's West Region Athlete of the Year for the 2015 indoor season.  She was 14th at the NAIA Cross Country Championship for her third consecutive All-America performance. Esposito was also a member of the second place distance medley relay team at the 2016 indoor championship. She was honored as the NAIA's 2015 A.O. Duer Award winner. The Duer Award is the highest academic honor for all NAIA sports.
 
"An award of this magnitude doesn't come without great commitment, work ethic and discipline," said Athletic Director Charlie Gross. "All of which Leah demonstrates on a daily basis. We are so proud of her accomplishments as an athlete, student and member of the Carroll community."
 
Esposito is the first Saint to win the honor and the first athlete to represent the Frontier Conference.
 
Click here for the release from CoSIDA.