LANCASTER, Pa. – The Franklin & Marshall women's cross country and track & field teams had five student-athletes recognized as College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selections. The academic all-district teams honor the top student-athletes in the country for their success both in the classroom and in their respective sports.
Lauren Dunnigan, Allison Huelbig, Amanda Imhauser, Annalise Kauffman, and Mackenzie Ward each received this distinction for the Diplomats. To be considered for the academic all-district team, student-athletes must be at least sophomores who maintain a 3.5 cumulative GPA and were ranked among the top 50 athletes in the region in an event during the cross country or indoor/outdoor track & field seasons.
A national qualifier for the first time in her career this winter, Lauren Dunnigan represented the Diplomats in the 60 meter hurdles at the indoor national championships. The school record holder in both the 60 meter dash and 60 meter hurdles, Dunnigan also posted top times in the region for the 200 meters and triple jump during the winter season where she was named the Centennial Conference Outstanding Track Performer of the Meet. She would also post top times in the region during the 100 meter hurdles, 400 meter hurdles, and triple jump during the outdoor season.
Allison Huelbig earned academic all-district honors after finishing among the top high jumpers in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Huelbig is ranked fourth in school history for the high jump (1.57 meters). The junior placed fourth at the Centennial Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships during her signature event. She additionally holds top 10 marks in school history in the long jump and triple jump.
A multi-event specialist, Amanda Imhauser earned the first academic all-district honors of her career with a number of top regional finishes in the pentathlon, heptathlon, long jump, high jump, and 100 meter hurdles. Her best regional mark came when she finished 12th in the heptathlon. She is ranked second all-time in school history in the heptathlon with a personal-best score of 3,585 points. A member of the women's soccer team during the fall season, Imhauser also owns the second-best pentathlon score (2,161 points) in school history.
A three-season star between the cross country, indoor, and outdoor track & field seasons, Annalise Kauffman broke through with a gold medal in the 800 meters at the Centennial Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships this spring. She was also high in the regional rankings in the 400 meters outdoors, in addition to fast marks in the indoor 800 meter and mile races. Kauffman is ranked sixth in school history for the outdoor 800 meters and holds a number of top relay times as well.
All-American Mackenzie Ward posted the top time in the region in the javelin while placing 13th at this year's Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. The school record holder in the javelin, Ward is a two-time Centennial Conference Champion in as many years. She was named the Centennial Conference's Rookie of the Year for outdoor track & field in the spring of 2024 after winning her first conference gold. A two-sport athlete at F&M where she plays on the women's basketball team during the winter, Ward was additionally named to the academic all-district team for that sport as well.
