Middlebury's Audrey MacLean has been announced as the Division III Honda Athlete of the Year for women's cross country, Chris Voelz, Executive Director of The Collegiate Women Sports Award (CWSA) presented by Honda, announced on Thursday.
 

"I feel so honored to be named a finalist for this award this year, and I am so grateful for the Middlebury cross country family that made it possible," MacLean said. "I never could have imagined this at the beginning of my college career, and achieving this while maintaining my absolute love of running is proof of how extraordinary our team and coaches are. This would not have been possible in solidarity, and I feel forever grateful for both the gift of running and the community that it has formed."

HIGHLIGHTS

• MacLean captured the 2025 NCAA Division III Cross Country individual title, joining Dorcas DenHartog '87 as the second NCAA Champion in program history and the first since 1985.
• The junior won the national event by over 48 seconds and helped her squad to an eighth-place finish, the best showing for the Panthers since 2018. Her clocking of 20:16.8 marked the sixth-fastest six-kilometer time in the history of the Division III  race.
• MacLean garnered her third All-American nod in as many seasons in cross country, becoming just the fourth in the program's record books to accomplish the feat.
• Prior to the title race, MacLean topped the podium at the Division III Mideast Regional and was crowned the NESCAC's Most Outstanding Performer after breaking the conference tape. She finished the season with five individual titles.
• MacLean is just the second Middlebury cross country runner to secure the league victory, regional crown and NCAA Championship in the same season (DenHartog '87).
• The Panther was named the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division III National Women's Athlete of the Year in addition to being recognized as the top runner in her region.
• MacLean has also excelled in the classroom, garnering both College Sports Communicators (CSC) and USTFCCCA Academic All-America praises.

"Audrey is one of the most talented runners I have coached as part of a program that has an unbelievably rich tradition of success," said head coach Nicole Wilkerson. "She trains with unmatched joy and enthusiasm while balancing rigorous academic demands, which often means doing some training in the early hours of the morning. She is more fulfilled by the team's successes than her own and respects her competition while being a fierce competitor herself. We are all very proud of her!"

 
ABOUT THE HONDA AWARDS

• Now in its 50th year, the CWSA honors the nation's top female collegiate athletes for superior athletic performance, leadership, academic honors and community service.
• Since its partnership with Honda began in 1986, the program has awarded more than $3.4 million in institutional grants, strengthening and advancing women's athletics nationwide.
• The Honda Sports Award recognizes student-athletes in 11 NCAA-sanctioned disciplines: basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and volleyball.

All finalists for the Division II and III Honda Athlete of the Year awards will be honored during a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, July 27 at 7:00 p.m. in New York City. MacLean hopes to become the fourth Panther to secure the prestigious accolade.