Mason, Ohio - Wheaton College senior Abby Bullmore received the NCAA's ELITE 89 award on Friday night at the annual awards banquet of the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships. Bullmore is the first student-athlete from Wheaton to win the award in any sport. The award is given each year at each of the NCAA's 89 championship events to the student with the highest cumulative grade point average that is competing in the that respective NCAA Championship event.

Bullmore is a co-winner of the award for Division III Women's Cross Country as she and and Miranda Stockton of University of Mount Union tied for the award. This is the first time in the six-year history of the award across the NCAA's 89 championship events that there has been a tie for the award.

Bullmore owns a 4.00 cumulative grade point average and is a Spanish major at Wheaton. The senior will be part of the Wheaton women's cross country team when the Thunder competes at the Division III Women's Cross Country Championships on Saturday at the Golf Center at King's Island in Mason, Ohio. Bullmore has been a key member of the Thunder women's cross country team this season and helped lead Wheaton to its first team appearance in the Division III Championship since 2008.

The ELITE 89, 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. The Elite 89 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 89 championships.

To qualify for the award, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore in academic and athletics standing, and in at least his or her second year of competition (in any sport) at  his or her current institution. The Student-athlete must be an active member on the roster and a member of the designated squad size for the championship site. Each student-athlete is only eligible to win the award once per academic year, even if he/she participates in more than one sport.