TOWSON, Md. -- Christian Schaaf's standout senior season just got a little better as he becomes the fourth student-athlete from the Elizabethtown College men's cross country program to be named the Landmark Conference Men's Cross Country Senior Scholar Athlete. He is the 27th student-athlete overall for Elizabethtown to earn the honor of Senior Scholar Athlete since the College joined the Landmark in 2014-15.

Having lost his junior season in 2020 due to COVID-19, Schaaf has made the 2021 cross country count in a big way.

The Phoenixville, Pa. native finished 35th at the Landmark Championships in 2019 as a sophomore, and in his first championship meet back in action since the pandemic, Schaaf cruised to a third-place finish and All-Landmark First Team honors. He also had three top-10 finishes for Elizabethtown during the season.

Then, at the NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Regional on November 13, Schaaf added an all-region performance to his ledger. The senior took 13th at Big Spring High School and then qualified for the NCAA Division III XC Championships in Louisville, Kent.

While he's been one of the top and most consistent runners for the Blue Jays this season, he's also been the same in the classroom. A Communications and Graphic Design double major with a Studio Arts minor, Schaaf boasts an impressive 3.98 cumulative grade point average. He will be a three-time Landmark Fall Academic Honor Roll selection and four-time USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honoree when all is said and done.

Schaaf joins Dan Gresh, Zach Trama, and Will Schoener on the list of Landmark MXC Senior Scholar Athlete award winners for Elizabethtown.

Schaaf competes at the national meet tomorrow in the men's race at 11 a.m.