SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State distance standout Ella Cronhardt has been named a USTFCCCA All-Academic Athlete, highlighting a year of academic and athletic excellence for the Bears. The Missouri State women's track and field team was also honored as a 2025 NCAA Division I All-Academic Team, as announced Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Cronhardt, a junior from Missouri State's distance squad, is majoring in Exercise Science and holds a 3.62 cumulative GPA. She competed in the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the 3000-meter steeplechase as Missouri State's lone representative in the 2025 NCAA preliminaries.
During her sophomore campaign, the Lee's Summit native established herself as one of the Bears' top distance runners, setting personal bests in events ranging from the 800 meters to the 3000-meter steeplechase. Her 2025 outdoor season was highlighted by personal bests of 10:43.98 in the steeplechase and 4:29.71 in the 1500 meters. She also competed on Missouri State's 4x400-meter relay team and posted one of the top 800-meter times in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) with a 2:10.16 mark.
Cronhardt has been named to the MSU Athletic Director's Honor Roll for both the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters.
As a team, Missouri State was recognized among the nation's top academic programs, earning USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors with a 3.459 cumulative GPA for the 2024–25 academic year.
This is always one of our top goals as a team," said head coach Jordan Fife. "The ladies work extremely hard in the classroom, and our academic advisor Quinn Weakley does a phenomenal job supporting them. Ella's award is a true reflection of what it means to be a successful student-athlete, excelling at a national level on the track while taking care of business in the classroom."
The USTFCCCA annually recognizes programs with a 3.0 GPA or higher across all student-athletes on the NCAA Squad List for both indoor and outdoor seasons. Individuals must maintain a cumulative 3.25 while also meeting elite athletic standards.
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