Six named All-Academic Athletes; Ohio Northern women's team named USTFCCCA All-Academic Team

By Marissa Myers

| USTFCCCA Women's Track and Field All-Academic Athletes | USTFCCCA Women's Track and Field All-Academic Teams |

ADA — Ohio Northern seniors Izzy Burman (Benton Ridge/Liberty Benton) and Hannah Friend (Luckey/Eastwood), junior Ellie Ford (Upper Arlington), sophomore Anna Brady (Sidney) and freshmen Emersyn Gerken (Liberty Center) and Tatum Walsh (Lima/Bath) were named All-Academic Athletes for 2025 by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The Ohio Northern women's track and field team was also named an All-Academic Team for 2025 by the USTFCCCA.

To be eligible for All-Academic Athlete honors, each student-athlete must have a GPA of at least 3.30 and must have posted an individual top 50 mark in the nation or competed on a top-35 relay team nationally.

The Polar Bears finished the 2024 season with a 3.39 GPA. To be eligible for All-Academic Team status, the squad must have a team GPA of 3.10 or better.

Burman, an accounting major, is a two-time Academic All-District, three-time Academic All-OAC honoree and was named First Team Academic All-America this season.

She is an NCAA III Championships qualifier indoors in the weight throw and outdoors in the shot put and hammer throw. She earned All-America honors in the shot put, placing fifth with a toss of 14.35 meters, breaking her own school record.

She is also an eight-time OAC Champion, eight-time All-OAC honoree and five-time USTFCCCA All-Great Lakes Region selection.

Friend, a psychology major, is also a two-time Academic All-District and three-time Academic All-Conference selection.

She earned All-America honors after finishing eighth in the discus at the NCAA III Outdoor Championships this season. She is also a two-time OAC Champion and seven-time All-OAC honoree.

Ford, a civil engineering major, is a one-time Academic All-District selection and a two-time Academic All-Conference honoree.

She was a NCAA III Indoor Championships qualifier in the pole vault, placing 13th in the event. She is also a three-time All-OAC honoree.

Brady, a mechanical engineering major, is a first-time USTFCCCA All-Academic selection and one-time Academic All-OAC honoree.

Gerken, a management major, won the high jump at the outdoor OAC Championships with a jump of 1.62 meters and is now a two-time All-OAC honoree in the high jump.

She also earned USTFCCCA All-Great Lakes Region honors in the high jump.

Walsh, an accounting major, is a two-time All-OAC honoree and owns the indoor 60 and 200-meter dash records.