The eighth-ranked Middlebury women's cross country team earned a share of the seventh-best grade point average (GPA) in Division III when the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced its postseason academic honors. In addition, six Panthers were recognized as All-Academic honorees.
 
Middlebury was honored as a USTFCCCA Division III All-Academic Team, recognizing cross country programs that earned a cumulative team GPA of 3.10 or higher. The Panthers' combined mark of 3.85 matched Colorado College and Alvernia for seventh among their peers.
 
To qualify for USTFCCCA All-Academic distinction, a student-athlete must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.30 on a 4.00 scale and finish in the top 25 percent of their respective regional championship meet. Naomi Atwood, MK Cestaro, Shea Fajen, Grace Kaelber, Audrey MacLean and Claire Palmer each garnered a spot on the association's All-Academic team.
 
Earlier this fall, 16 Panthers were NESCAC All-Academic Team honorees. MacLean's individual national title powered Middlebury to an eighth-place finish at the 2025 NCAA Championships, the squad's best placing since 2018. The team won each of its first three meets to open the season, before securing runner-up finishes at the league and regional invites.
 
The complete list of USTFCCCA academic honorees may be found here.