DeRoo Runs Away With Scholar-Athlete Of Year Honors

HAMILTON, N.Y. — Colgate University sophomore Elise DeRoo of Newtown was named the Patriot League Outdoor Track and Field Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

A molecular biology major, DeRoo has posted a 3.89 GPA thus far in her career and is the fourth straight student-athlete in the Patriot League to capture the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award in both indoor and outdoor track and field in the same academic year.

DeRoo earned All-Patriot League First-Team status twice after winning two titles at the outdoor championships. She won the 10,000-meter title with a personal-record time of 37:42.09 and followed with the 5,000-meter crown the next day with a 17:21.19.

DeRoo also shattered the Colgate school record in the 5k at the Sam Howell Invitational with an ECAC-qualifying time of 16:35.61, which is the league’s best time of the season and stands 46th-best in the NCAA East Region, with the top 48 times qualifying for each Regional Championship.

To be eligible for the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average and be a starter or key player in his/her sport. Freshmen are not eligible for this honor.

The Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year for each individual sport comprises the pool of nominees for the Patriot League Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards given out over the summer. One male and one female are selected for this honor.