NEW HAVEN, Conn. (December 9, 2010) – Sarah Simonetti of Philadelphia University has been tabbed the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) November Student-Athlete of the Month according to an announcement by Commissioner Dan Mara. Simonetti is a junior standout on the Philadelphia women’s cross country team. Simonetti also claimed the award in October of 2009, becoming the first two-time recipient.

Simonetti, who hails from Perkasie, Pa., capped an outstanding junior campaign by earning All-Region honors for the third time in her career with a ninth place finish at the NCAA Division II East Region Championship in Boston, Mass., on Nov. 21. She ran a 6-kilometer time of 23:08. Last year, she became the first CACC runner, male or female, to participate in the NCAA Division II National Championship where she finished 54th.

Simonetti was the individual medalist at the CACC Championship on Nov. 7, winning the race by nearly 30 seconds with a 5K time of 19:28.08. As a result of her performance, she was named the 2010 Runner of the Year. She helped the Lady Rams clinch their third straight team title with 37 points, which was 41 points better than the second place team.  Simonetti was named CACC Runner of the Week six times during the season and set a school record with a 5K time of 18:51 at the Delaware Invitational.  

Simonetti is also an outstanding student and is in a five-year Physician’s Assistant program at Philadelphia University. She entered the fall semester with a 3.47 grade-point average and was a CACC All-Academic team recipient in the fall of 2009 in her first year being eligible for the accolade. She also claimed United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic status last year.