Brigid Power voted to Academic All-America team

June 27, 2005
see CoSIDA story, complete list here

Mon. June. 27, 2005

St. Thomas cross country and track standout Brigid Power (SR-Eden Prairie), an NCAA runner-up in her final collegiate race last month, was named to the ESPN The Magazine College Division Women's Track/CC Academic All-American team announced today.

Power was on the 15-person first team, which had an average grade-point average of 3.96. In all, 45 women's track/cross country runners from Division II, III and NAIA institutions were recognized on three teams for the elite College Division award.

It was the first CoSIDA Academic All-America honor for Power, who graduated in May with a 3.96 gpa with an English and Communication Studies double major. She was a three-time Division III All-American and received an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. A three-time captain in CC and track, Power was a second-team CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree in 2004.

Power made dramatic improvement throughout her college career, capped by an NCAA runner-up finish in the 1,500 at outdoor nationals. Her career-best time of 4:32.41 helped the Toms place fifth in the team competition. She improved six places in the 1,500 from her eighth-place finish at 2004 nationals. She also placed fifth at indoor national meet in March to help UST place fifth as a team.

Power competed in seven career MIAC team championships indoors and outdoors, and the Tommies won all seven. (She missed the 2004 conference outdoor meet to attend her brother's out-of-state wedding and UST lost by a mere five points.) She won two events and scored 32 points to help UST win the 2005 conference indoor title, and won two events to lead UST's outdoor victory in May. Twice she was selected conference meet Outstanding Women's Track Performer (2004 indoor, 2005 outdoors). She had 10 career top-two conference finishes.

Power competed in six career NCAA meets including qualifying in 2003-04 for cross country, indoor and outdoor track nationals. In cross country, she placed ninth in the MIAC and 10th in regionals in 2004, and in 2003 placed third of 158 at the regional meet after placing 49th in the 2002 regional race.

One other MIAC student-athlete was honored -- Concordia-Moorhead junior 400-meter runner Angie Pfeiffer (3.91 gpa/English Writing/Pre-Dentistry).

Power becomes St. Thomas' 43rd Academic All-American, including 31 in the last 11 years. Power is one of five Tommie CoSIDA Academic All-Americans for 2004-05. She joins junior Ben Kessler (football) and seniors Dave Linn (swimming/at-large), Tut Fuller (tennis/at-large) and Katie Glorvigen (golf/at-large). The MIAC had 21 Academic All-Americans this year with five from UST; four each from Gustavus and Augsburg; three each from St. John's and Concordia-Moorhead; and one each from St. Mary's and Macalester.

UST's five Academic All-Americans is the fourth most in one school year for any MIAC institution. The 2002-03 Tommies set a record with seven; St. John's had six in 1994-1995; St. Thomas had six in 2001-2002.