Madison, Wis. - University of Wisconsin-La Crosse senior Katelyn Chadwick of Poynette (H.S.) has been named a co-recipient of the 2024 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete Award, the league office announced on Monday. She shares the honor with UW-Stevens Point's Rachel Krouse. 

A recreational therapy major with minors in psychology and at-risk child and youth care, Chadwick sustains a 3.95 grade point average. She is a three-time member of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Cross Country Team and a three-time WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll member. Chadwick is a four-year recipient of the Hagen Scholarship and has been recognized on UWL's Dean's List numerous semesters. In June 2024, she studied at the University of Stirling in Scotland.
 
Chadwick has contributed to UWL's conference championship squads each of the last four seasons, receiving All-WIAC first team honors in 2022, 2003 and 2024, after securing honorable mention recognition in 2021. A team captain this year, she is a three-time All-North Region selection and participated in the 2023 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championship. Chadwick is a two-time winner of UWL's Cross Country Class Power Rankings. 

 
She is a Certified Inclusion Ambassador for the Inclusive Recreation Resource Center. Chadwick is a member of UWL's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Recreational Therapy Club and Colleges Against Cancer. She has served as a Brain and Body Fitness Facilitator at the Aging and Disability Resource Center. Chadwick has volunteered at the YMCA working with children with disabilities, as well as the STAR Center and La Crosse Housing Authority.

She is the 10th student-athlete in school history to earn the WIAC Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete award, joining Sheri Winter (1986), Kari Nethery (1993), Jenny Fiedler (1999), Kristen Painter (2006), Rachel Schroeder (2013), Elizabeth Frick (2016), Kaitlyn McDaniel (2017), Sadie Kroll (2018) and Kaylan Marshall (2021).
 
Also nominated for this year's scholar-athlete award were: UW-Eau Claire's Allison Weissinger (Sr., Black River Falls/H.S.); UW-Oshkosh's Cyna Madigan (Sr., Rosendale/Laconia); UW-Platteville's Hannah Fliss (Sr., Mosinee/H.S); UW-River Falls' Cailyn Kuechle (Grad., South Haven, Minn./Kimball); UW-Stout's Mckayla Felton (Sr., Muskego/H.S.); and UW-Whitewater's Ari De La Cerda (Sr., Pewaukee/H.S.).

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Judy Kruckman, who served as Assistant Commissioner for the WIAC from 1996-98. Prior to this appointment, she was Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WWIAC) from October 1984 - September 1996. Kruckman was the women's athletics director at UW-Eau Claire from 1974-84, and one of the original representatives to the WWIAC when it formed in 1971.

In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, she must be in her last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years. The award is based on academic achievements, athletics accomplishments and involvement in other campus activities, organizations and community service projects.