HAVERFORD, Pa. - Haverford senior Izzy Miller was named the 2021 Philadelphia Sports Information Directors Association (Philly-SIDA) Academic All-Area Performer of the Year for women's cross country while classmate Angie Petrichenko was also named to the Academic All-Area team, the organization announced in a release this week.
Miller's Academic All-Area Performer of the Year honors are the first in the history of the Haverford program. The Fords placed multiple members on the team for the first time since the 2018 season when Hannah Doll and Sophie Drew each earned a spot on the team.
Miller, an All-American after a 28th overall finish at the NCAA National Championships in Louisville last month, picked up Metro Athlete of the Year honors, becoming Haverford's first individual regional champ since the 1996 season when Meredith Unger accomplished that feat. In total, Miller is Haverford's sixth individual champion in a regional meet, and the first to top the field in a year where the Fords were a team champion. Earlier in the season, Miller also placed first at the Rowan Inter-Regional Border Battle in 21:33.8 and Haverford's own three-miler, the Main Line Invitational, in 17:26.6. She also was named first-team All-Centennial Conference after a runner-up finish at the Centennial Conference Championships in 21:57.5.
Petrichenko was also an All-America finisher by virtue of her 18th place finish, pacing the Fords at the national meet. The finish was a new career best for the senior, and the highest finish for a Haverford runner at the national championship since Jane Steinemann in 2002. The senior previously earned All-Metro Region and Second-team All-Centennial designation, and picked up her third Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll certificate.
In order to be eligible for Academic All-Area honors, an athlete must be in at least his or her second year at the institution and hold a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or better.