CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced today that former Loras College cross country and track & field student-athlete
Audrey Miller (Appleton, Wis./Xavier) has been named the A-R-C Johanna Olson female Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the 2019-20 academic year, in the 20th year of the award. The award, the highest individual honor from the conference, goes to an alumnus from the previous academic year.
The four-time All-Conference performer in Cross Country and two-time Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field All-Conference performer, Audrey Miller of Loras had a storied career in a Duhawk colors. Miller won the 2016-17 Loras College Female Athlete of the Year honors, while also earning Cross Country and Track & Field MVP school honors. In her career at Loras, Miller was a six-time All-American across the three sports, including two All-American finishes in her cross country career (2016 and 2019). The Appleton, Wis. native holds the conference championship 5000-meter record with a time of 17:13.94 set in 2017.
Miller graduated from Loras College in December 2019 with a degree in Chemistry. She also had minors in Spanish and Biology. The Appleton, Wis. native was a three time USTFCCCA All-Academic in Cross Country (2015, 2016, 2019) and a two-time Academic All-American in Track & Field (2016, 2017). She also was a two-time CoSIDA Third-Team Academic All-American (2016-17, 2019-20) and a two-time First-Team Academic All-District (2016-17, 2019-20). Miller was also recognized as an A-R-C All-Academic Team performer three times for Cross Country (2015, 2016, 2019) and twice for Track & Field (2017, 2019). Miller ended her Loras career being honored as a Top 30 finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year award for Division III.
Miller spent time in the community getting involved as a volunteer with the After-School STEM Education Program where she helped elementary aged students in the Dubuque community. For three years, the Appleton native also participated in the Loras College High School Chemistry Olympics in the day-long event for high school students to compete in various chemistry activities (2016-2018). In 2017, Miller participated as an Antioch Retreat Leader, hosted by Loras College's campus ministry, as part of the chapel team. During the 2018-19 academic year, Miller created and edited the Loras College
Survival Guide to the Science Hall which is a booklet of everything Loras College science department for incoming students interested in majoring in a STEM field. She also was a staff writer and editor for the Loras College student newspaper,
The Lorian during her four years at Loras.
"After a year of turmoil like we've never seen, our Scholar-Athletes of the Year process added a welcome sense of normalcy," said A-R-C Commissioner
Chuck Yrigoyen. "The process always produces young men and women whose accomplishments are anything but normal. I would like to thank the faculty athletics representatives and athletics staff members for their work in identifying this year's impressive class of nominees. One only needed to attend a cross country or track meet to see the joy that running brought to Audrey Miller. Her smile during competition was as bright as the national-caliber resume she put together. Whether it was faith-centered activities or writing a handbook for her student peers, Audrey left Loras as a person who made a difference."
She is currently attending the University of California, Davis working on her Ph.D. in Geochemistry and Planetary Sciences. Miller is the fourth Loras female athlete to earn the prestigous award from the conference and the sixth Duhawk overall.
What They Say About Audrey Miller
Associate Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology, Jake Kurczek, Ph.D.: “What amazes me about Audrey is that she embodies all of the most positive things we think about when we envision a student leader on a college campus . . . If I go to a sporting event, I see Audrey supporting her fellow Duhawks. If I go to a guest speaker I see Audrey there supporting Duhawks."
Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Adam Moser, Ph.D.: "Audrey really is a special student even amongst the many strong students I have had and sent to graduate schools. She is mature, intelligent, motivated, caring, and brings a breadth of research experiences. I'm confident she will make a top graduate student and make excellent contributions to her lab. Her future as a researcher is bright."
Loras Cross Country & Track and Field Coach, Bob Schultz: "[Audrey] is the most thoughtful, considerate, kind and caring person I have ever met. She as a true servant's heart and puts others needs above her own on a daily basis. I have never met anyone that resembles a Christ like attitude more than Audrey Miller."
Also nominated for the 2019-20 Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year were Central women's golfer
Emily Opsal (Wilson), Coe track & field athlete
Kat Stai, Nebraska Wesleyan women's basketball player
Caitlin Navratil, and Wartburg women's basketball player
Emma Gerdes.
The Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year is selected among the finalists by a vote of the A-R-C Faculty Representatives (FAR).
About the Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards
The American Rivers Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards were first presented in December 2001 for the 2000-01 academic year. To be eligible for nomination, a student-athlete shall have graduated or exhausted their athletic eligibility during the academic year for which the award is given. The nominee must have demonstrated a high level of accomplishment and achievement in a varsity sport, have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale), and show evidence of scholarly achievements, community service involvement and leadership. Both awards were named originally for former Wartburg College and Conference sports information director Duane Schroeder in May 2002. The women’s award was renamed in 2013 for former Luther College student-athlete Johanna Olson - the inaugural winner of the women’s award - who lost a courageous battle with cancer in January 2013.
About Johanna Olson
The American Rivers Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is named in honor of the late Johanna Olson, a former cross country and track & field student-athlete at Luther College who was the inaugural recipient of the award. Olson battled brain cancer for over 15 years before her fight ended on January 3, 2013 at age 33. She was originally diagnosed with a brain tumor as a college freshman in 1997 but went on to win the 2000 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship three years to the day after her initial brain surgery. In addition to the national title in cross country, she won three Conference Individual Championships and three Conference Most Valuable Runner awards (1999, 2000, 2001). In track and field, she was the 2001 Conference Most Valuable Performer, earning All-America honors in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter runs. Olson was also a member of the 2001 distance medley relay team that captured the indoor national title. She was named the United States Track Coaches Association (USTCA) regional and national Athlete of the Year in both cross country and track and field in 2000-01. In 1991, Olson was presented the Honda Awards Inspirational Athlete of the Year after returning from radiation treatments to compete at the national level.
