MADISON, Wis. — University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire senior Molly Heidorn has been named the 2026 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women's Cross Country Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award recipient.
A senior from Colfax, Wis. (Colfax), Heidorn is majoring in speech-language-hearing sciences and maintains a 3.99 grade point average. She has earned NCAA Division III All-Academic distinction from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association in 2024 and 2025. Heidorn was also named to the College Sports Communicators NCAA Division III Academic All-District® Women's Cross Country/Track & Field Team in 2025 and 2026.
Heidorn is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and has been named to UW-Eau Claire's Dean's List numerous semesters. She has also received multiple academic scholarships throughout her collegiate career.
On the course, Heidorn has established herself as one of the top runners in the WIAC and NCAA Division III. In 2025, she captured the WIAC individual championship and was named WIAC Athlete of the Year. She went on to earn All-America honors with a 31st-place finish at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship. Heidorn is also a two-time All-Region performer (2024, 2025) and earned All-WIAC Second Team honors in 2024.
A team captain during the 2026 season, Heidorn was named the Blugolds' Most Valuable runner in 2025 and Most Improved runner in 2024.
Beyond academics and athletics, Heidorn has been involved with several campus organizations and community initiatives. She has served as secretary of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Sciences Organization and is a member of the Operation Smile Organization. She has also volunteered as a speech-language pathologist at a local elementary school and the Boys & Girls Club.
The WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award recognizes student-athletes for their achievements in academics, athletics, campus involvement and community service. To be eligible, nominees must maintain a minimum 3.50 GPA, be in their final year of competition or on schedule to graduate during the academic year, and have competed for at least two years.
The award is named in honor of Judy Kruckman, who served as the WIAC Assistant Commissioner from 1996-98 and previously served as Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1984-96. Kruckman also served as UW-Eau Claire's women's athletics director from 1974-84 and was one of the original representatives to the WWIAC when it formed in 1971.
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