NEW YORK – Georgetown women’s cross country junior Maggie Donahue was named the BIG EAST Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the league announced on Thursday. Donahue will receive a $4,000 scholarship, which may be applied to graduate or professional studies. The selection was made by the Conference’s Academic Affairs Committee.
Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Neurobiology, Donahue boasts a 3.525 GPA and is a Laboratory Assistant at Georgetown University. A current Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) member, she also is a three-time All-Academic BIG EAST team member.
Donahue is the second women’s scholar-athlete from Georgetown, joining former cross country and track and field member Nicole Lee, who won in 2005. Donahue is the eighth member of a men’s or women’s cross country squad to earn the prestigious honor. Alongside fellow Hoya Dante Polvara, announced as the 2022 BIG EAST Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Thursday, the duo becomes the third and fourth Georgetown student-athletes to claim the award and it marks just the sixth time in league history that one school has swept the award.
At the 2021 BIG EAST Cross Country Championships Presented by Jeep, Donahue crossed the finish line first with a time of 20:47.8 to help the Hoyas edge Butler for the team crown. The following week on the sport’s biggest stage, she finished 30
th overall, clocking 19:51.3 over the 6,000-meter race at the NCAA Championships. Overall, Donahue moved up 47 spots and split 3:12.9 over the final 1,000 meters to secure her all-America status.
On the track, Donahue also had an impressive spring campaign earning All-America status in track and field. The junior added to her BIG EAST Championship win in the 5,000-meter run with a 13th-place finish at the NCAAs to earn second team all-America accolades.
The Conference also announced the female winners of the 2021-22 BIG EAST Institutional Scholar-Athlete Scholarships. Each institutional winner receives $2,000 toward graduate studies.
2021-22 BIG EAST Institutional Female Scholar-Athlete Awards
| School |
Name, Sport(s) |
| Butler |
Katie Soderstrom, Soccer |
| UConn |
Julia Ozimek, Lacrosse |
| Creighton |
Jaela Zimmerman, Volleyball |
| DePaul |
Kiersten Walker, Track & Field |
| Georgetown |
Maggie Donahue, Cross Country |
| Marquette |
Bonnie Lacey, Soccer |
| Providence |
Christina Rodgers, Soccer |
| St. John’s |
Leah Anderson, Track & Field |
| Seton Hall |
Lauren Ginefra, Cross Country |
| Villanova |
McKenna Keegan, Indoor Track & Field |
| Xavier |
Olivia Jenkins, Soccer |
BIG EAST Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year
Year, Name, School, Sport
1985: Leigh Curl, Connecticut, Basketball
1986: Joanne Keehs, Villanova, Track & Field
1987: Karen Ferreria, Providence, Volleyball
1988: Noreen Coughlin, Pittsburgh, Volleyball
1989: Vicki Huber, Villanova, Track & Field
1990: Siobhan Gallagher, Providence, Track & Field
1991: Cami White, Providence, Field Hockey
1992: Kelly Larkin, Syracuse, Field Hockey
1993: Nnenna Lynch, Villanova, Track & Field
1994: Allison Williams, Pittsburgh, Track & Field
1995: Becky Spies, Villanova, Cross Country/Track & Field
1996: Najuma Fletcher, Pittsburgh, Track & Field
1997: Jen Renola, Notre Dame, Soccer
1998: Charity Wachera, West Virginia, Track & Field
1999: Gladys Ganiel, Providence, Cross Country/Track & Field
2000: Jenny Streiffer, Notre Dame, Soccer
2001: Ruth Riley, Notre Dame, Basketball
2002: Jarrah Myers, Notre Dame, Softball
2003: Erin McIntyre, Rutgers, Swimming & Diving
2004: Vanessa Pruzinsky, Notre Dame, Soccer
2005: Nicole Lee, Georgetown, Cross Country/Track & Field
2006: Kelly Harrigan, Rutgers, Swimming & Diving
2007: Jessica Javelet, Louisville, Field Hockey
2008: Jillian Drouin, Syracuse, Track & Field
2009: Jennifer Kleinhans, Connecticut, Field Hockey
2010: Meagan Dooley, Pittsburgh, Volleyball
2011: Maya Moore, Connecticut, Basketball
2012: Natalie Kulla, Marquette, Soccer
2013: Sam Roecker, Providence, Cross Country/Track & Field
2014: Emily Sisson, Providence, Cross Country/Track & Field
2015: Shelbey Manthorpe, Seton Hall, Volleyball
2016: Rachel Daly, St. John’s, Soccer
2017: Lauren Smith, Creighton, Volleyball
2018: Alexis Walkden, Seton Hall, Softball
2019: Taryn Kloth, Creighton, Volleyball
2021:
Aspasia Avgeri, DePaul, Tennis
2022: Maggie Donahue, Georgetown, Cross Country
Note: In 2019-20, the BIG EAST did not present the Male or Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.