INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Horizon League announced its Valeo Cross Country All-Academic Teams on Wednesday afternoon, as a pair of Norse earned the distinction in the 2025 edition, with Colton O'Hara making the men's squad and Grace Biddle earning an honorable mention on the women's side.

O'Hara is no stranger to earning Horizon League All-Academic honors, as he was named to the 2025 Indoor Track & Field All-Academic Team, the 2025 Outdoor Track & Field All-Academic Team, and has been named an honorable mention to the cross country team in each of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. "Colton continues to strive for excellence in all he does; his class work is a reflection of the seriousness with which he takes on everything in his life," said Norse head coach Steve Kruse. "His daily routine is all about how he can better himself as a person."A Business Information Systems major, he's been a five-time dean's list selection and a four-time Horizon League Honor Roll selection. O'Hara wrapped up an incredible senior campaign with NKU in 2025, as he finished in fifth at the Horizon League Championships and set a new 10k personal best at the NCAA Southeast Regional, leading the Norse with a time of 31:03.6. 

Biddle, a junior from Morrow, Ohio, has been a standout performer on the course and in the classroom for the Norse. "She is such a hard worker in every aspect of her life; academics are a huge part of what makes Grace tick," said Kruse. "She takes her coursework very seriously, and this is an honor that recognizes that part of her life." A three-time selection to the President's Honor's List (4.0 semester GPA), one-time dean's list selection, and three-time selection to the Horizon League Honor Roll, Biddle has been an incredible achiever during her time with the Norse. The honorable mention to this year's All-Academic team marked the first such honor for the Little Miami High School grad and accounting major. On the course in 2025, Biddle has been a top-three runner for the Norse, including a 47th-place finish at this year's Horizon League Championships. 

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