Elizabeth Pellegrini of Worcester, Mass., Lauded as Track and Field Academic All-America, as Selected by CoSIDA

2016 Jun 27

WPI senior Elizabeth Pellegrini adds Academic All-America accolades to her collection of honors following the 2015-16 track & field season as she was selected to the second team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Pellegrini, a biomedical engineering major, became the first WPI female runner to earn All-America honors thanks to her second place, and school-record time, in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2016 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The local product, who also boasts two 100-meter high hurdle and one 400-meter intermediate hurdle NEWMAC titles. Pellegrini is decorated with double-digit All-New England and All-ECAC selections to go with a number of All-NEICAAA performances. She also owns the indoor 200-meter dash record and is a member of the record-setting outdoor 4x100-meter relay, indoor 4x200-meter relay and 4x400-meter relay.

Academically, the senior created an app for the Milan Expo for her IQP and followed it up with studying animal palpitation model of the abdominal at Tufts Veterinary for her MQP. Pellegrini is also a member of Alpha Xi Delta, Tau Beta Pi and Habitat for Humanity. Beyond her success in the classroom and on the track, she served as a team captain and even organized a bus to take spectators out to cheer on the cross country teams as they competed at the NCAA Regional Championship.

Pellegrini represents the department's sixth Academic All-America in 2015-16. The sum ties the school record previously set in 2010-11 and 2012-13.