COLUMBIA, Mo. - After numerous athletic accomplishments, Mizzou Cross Country junior Karissa Schweizer (Urbandale, Iowa) was recognized for her hard work in the classroom on Thursday, as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) named her the 2016 Cross Country Scholar Athlete of the Year. In the 11-year history of the award, Schweizer is the first student-athlete from the Southeastern Conference to earn the top-academic distinction.
Schweizer, who has a 3.3 GPA in Health Sciences, captured the first NCAA National Championship in Mizzou women's cross country history in November. In total, four Tigers were named All-Academic Individuals as senior Teylar Adelsberger (O'Fallon, Mo.