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Ohio Northern University

Junior Emily Richards named OAC Scholar Athlete of the Month

Junior Emily Richards named OAC Scholar Athlete of the Month
March 28, 2017

By Caleb Scott

ADA — Ohio Northern junior Emily Richards (Delware/Hayes) has been named the Ohio Athletic Conference Scholar Athlete of the Month for the month of March.

Richards, a Chemistry major from Delaware, Ohio has shown success both in the classroom and as a standout athlete on the track for the Polar Bears. The junior has made her mark on the Ohio Northern track and field and academic program in only three years.

As well as being successful on the track, Richards serves as a student member of the American Chemical Society, is a Writing Tutor and is a Student Assistant at the Stone Laboratory for Water Quality Research.

"Emily truly is the definition of a student-athlete," said head coach Jason Maus. "As much as she succeeds on the track, she is definitely an academically driven person. No matter where we travel to she is always conscious of her academics and keeps them at the forefront of her attention."

In her first year of eligibility as a sophomore, Richards earned Academic All-OAC honors for her efforts in the classroom.

A 3-time National Champion, Emily is among the most decorated athletes in Ohio Northern track and field history. Emily won her first national title at the 2016 Outdoor NCAA Div. III National Meet after she won the 800-meter run by more than four seconds.

Richards also owns 12 school records at Ohio Northern for both the indoor and outdoor seasons.

The junior recently became the first athlete in school history to win two national titles at the same championship event as she was crowned the Indoor National Champion in both the 800-meter run and the 1-mile run to lead Ohio Northern to its highest finish as a team in school history.

Emily has been named the All-Great Lakes Region Female Track Athlete of the Year two years in a row and has garnered the OAC Distance Runner of the Year honor three times in her short career. Emily has also been named the Ohio Athletic Conference Women's Track Athlete of the Year twice in her career.
Richards saw her first success on the national stage her freshman year as she was named an All-American in the 800-meter run after claiming a seventh place finish in 2:11.30.
Emily has also shown success as a member of the Ohio Northern Cross Country team. She was named the OAC Cross Country Individual Champion in 2015 after winning the race in 21:56.70. The junior went on to compete at the National Meet in 2015 in Winneconne, Wisconsin.

"Emily really is a special athlete," said Maus. "She is an absolute competitor in the classroom and on track as well. Her success speaks for itself, but the little things she does to be so successful is what's great about her. She is one of those athletes that comes around once in a while and we are very fortunate to be able to watch someone like her be so successful."