Balouris Chosen As Women's XC Athlete of the Year

Courtesy: CAA

Release: 12/05/2012

RICHMOND, Va. (December 5, 2012) - William & Mary junior Elaina Balouris, who earned All-America honors in 2012, was chosen as the CAA women's cross country Athlete of the Year in voting by the league's head coaches.

William & Mary freshman Emily Stites, who also garnered All-America accolades, was selected as the CAA women's cross country Rookie of the Year and Tribe head coach Jill Miller was voted CAA Coach of the Year.

Balouris became just the fourth cross country athlete in W&M history to earn All-America honors after finishing 13th overall at the NCAA Championship with a time of 19:56 over the 6,000-meter course. She also received All-Region accolades after finishing seventh at the NCAA Southeast Regionals with a 6K time of 20:37. Balouris was chosen as the Most Outstanding Performer at the 2012 CAA Cross Country Championship after capturing the individual title with a course-record time of 20:43. Earlier in the season, she had a first-place performance at the W&M Invitational (17:39), a fifth-place effort at the Paul Short Invitational and a 20th-place finish at the Pre-Nationals.

Stites was the first freshman in W&M history to receive cross country All-America honors after finishing 26th overall at the NCAA Championship with a 6K time of 20:05. That effort was fourth among all freshmen in the race. Stites received All-CAA accolades after placing third with a time of 21:01 at the CAA Cross Country Championship and made the All-Region squad after finishing 10th at the NCAA Southeast Regionals in a time of 20:46. She also placed sixth at the Paul Short Invitational and was 19th at the Pre-Nationals.

Miller was chosen as the CAA Coach of the Year in her first season at the helm of the William & Mary program. The Tribe captured the CAA championship for the first time since 2009, posted a program-best second-place finish at the NCAA Southeast Regionals, and then finished 21st overall at the NCAA Championship.

The conference also recognized its 2012 All-CAA women's cross country team, which is made up of the top 12 finishers from the CAA Championship.

2012 ALL-CAA WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM

Name, School Cl. Hometown

Elaina Balouris, William & Mary Jr. Allison Park, Pa.

Michelle Britto, William & Mary Sr. Woodbridge, Va.

Jess Cygan, William & Mary So. Bethlehem, Pa.

Jenna Flickinger, James Madison Fr. Hummelstown, Pa.

Katie Gorman, James Madison Sr. Lafayette Hill, Pa.

Katie Harman, James Madison Sr. Clarksville, Md.

Dylan Hassett, William & Mary So. Alpharetta, Ga.

Stacey Nobles, James Madison Sr. Virginia Beach, Va.

Bethany Sachtleben, George Mason So. Manassas, Va.