June 24, 2009
Sarah Brassard, a senior from Oxford, MA (Oxford H.S.), was named to the ESPN The Magazine District 1 All Academic Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Wednesday.
An exercise physiology major, Brassard graduated with a 3.79 cumulative grade point average.
The honor is the latest of many for Brassard, who was the recipient of UMass Lowell’s Laurie Mann Award for the female student-athlete of the year at the Athletic Awards Night on May 12.
Additionally, Brassard was one of two student-athletes to receive the Chancellor’s Medal at the 2009 Commencement, presented to no more than six students per year for outstanding contributions to the University over four years.
“This is another fitting and deserved honor for Sarah,” said Head Coach Gary Gardner. “It continually amazed me this year how she was able to balance her academic and community service commitments along with her training."
Brassard emerged as one of the top distance runners in the conference and region this year, earning Northeast-10 Conference and NCAA East Region all-star honors. She helped lead the River Hawks to both the NE-10 and NCAA East Region titles and a 22nd place finish at the NCAA Championship.
During the cross country season, Brassard placed third individually at the NE-10 Championship and fourth at the NCAA East Region Championship. She was also UMass Lowell’s top finisher at the NCAA Championship, placing 81st in a field of 189 runners.
Brassard highlighted the indoor season by earning All-American honors in the distance medley relay at the NCAA Championship, placing sixth in 11:57.90 in the distance medley relay at the NCAA Championship, placing sixth in 11:57.90. She also captured the mile at the NE-10 indoor championship in a conference-record time of 5:11.02.
Brassard capped the outdoor season by qualifying for the NCAA Championship in steeplechase, placing 11th in 11:37.75. She also won 3,000 meter steeplechase at the NE-10 championship in 11:08.14.
Brassard was very active within the University community, where she served as the vice president and social committee co-chair of the Omicron Delta Kappa leadership society. She was also the senior advisor within the Alpha Lambda Delta sorority and also volunteered her time at the Sun Bridge Rehabilitation Center, the Chelmsford Forum Food Drive and the Bay State Marathon.
Brassard is the daughter of Kevin and Debora Brassard of Oxford, MA.
