SEATTLE – Zoe Baker and Duncan Fuehne made it a Colorado School of Mines sweep of the Elite 90 awards for NCAA Division II Cross Country late Tuesday night at the opening ceremonies of the DII Fall Sports Festival.
 
Baker claimed the award as a Mines graduate student in computer science, touting an unblemished 4.00 grade-point average. Fuehne earned his accolade thanks to a combined GPA of 3.98 as a graduate student in physics. The Elite 90 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's championships. That means no other woman competing at the 2022 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships has a higher GPA than Baker, and no other man at the same race has a higher GPA than Fuehne.
 
The announcement marks the first Elite 90 award of Fuehne's career and the third for Baker who also won it at indoor track & field in 2021 and 2022. Additionally, Fuehne is the eighth Oredigger to ever claim the distinction. Baker is the first to ever win it on multiple occasions. The last time an Oredigger not named Baker or Fuehne won the Elite 90, it was also a Colorado School of Mines sweep. Megan Wenham and Ben Schneiderman swept the men's and women's honors at the 2019 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
 
The Elite 90, an award founded by the NCAA, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. Eligible student-athletes are sophomores or above who have participated in their sport for at least two years with their school. They must be an active member of the team, traveling and a designated member of the squad size at the championship. All ties are broken by the number of credits completed.
Baker, Fuehne, and the Oredigger men and women race for national titles at the DII championships on Friday at Chambers Creek Regional Park in University Place, Wash. The men start at 10 a.m. PT and the women go off at 11:15 a.m. PT. A full preview and live coverage will be released Wednesday at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines track & field on Twitter and Instagram at @csmtrack. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.