Hall of Fame
Ellie Fernandez Hess was a seven-time Division III All-American (two cross country, four outdoor track, and one indoor track) and holds the distinction for becoming the first JCU athlete to earn All-American honors in a fall, a winter and a spring sport.
In cross country, she was a three-time national championship qualifier, and earned All-American accolades when she finished 12th in the nation in 2005 and 19th in 2004. She was also All-Great Lakes Region three times (all top ten finishes).
In track & field, Fernandez was the 2006 Division III runner-up in 3,000-meter steeplechase, which was the best finish by a Blue Streak athlete in a track event at a national championship meet in program history. Other All-American efforts included a third place finish in the 5,000-meter run in 2006; an eighth in the 5,000-meter run at the 2006 indoor NCAA meet; fifth place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 2005 and a third in 2004.
The 2006 USTFCCCA Regional Track Athlete of the Year, Fernandez earned a multitude of Ohio Athletic Coinference accolades, including 2005 OAC Women's Cross Country Runner of the Year, 2006 Marcia French OAC Most Outstanding Outdoor Track Athlete Award, and the 2006 Julie Zajac OAC Most Outstanding Indoor Track Athlete Award. She was an 18-time All-OAC performer in track & field, winning 11 titles; and was a three-time All-OAC performer in cross country, winning the league title in 2005.
A two-time Academic All-American and 2006 OAC Clyde A. Lamb Award winner, Fernandez led JCU to a pair of runner-up finishes at the OAC cross country championships in 2003 and 2005. In her final two years, JCU posted top four finishes at both the indoor and outdoor OAC championships. On the national level, Fernandez was part of a 12th place finish at the 2006 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships that was the best showing by the program. At the time she graduated, Fernandez held four school track records.
