A historic senior season laden with honors reached a crescendo this past Saturday as Academy of Art University women's cross country runner Jenny Bergren earned the ultimate distinction of NCAA All-American. The first artist-athlete in program history to capture such a title and the 2012 Pacific West Conference Runner of the Year, Bergren claimed 15th overall and was the highest of any individual qualifier at the NCAA Division II National Championships in Joplin, MO. The Academy of Art University Athletics Department has officially named Jenny Bergren its Student-Athlete of the 2012 Fall Season.

"It feels pretty good to be in the Top 15 and to be the Academy's first All-American!" Bergren said. "People kept asking where the Academy of Art University was and I would proudly tell them San Francisco. It feels good to get the school's name out there."

"Champions always find a way to rise to the occasion," head coach Charles Ryan said. "On Saturday, Jenny showed the championship pedigree that will define the 2012-13 season for ART U. She ran the race of her life, on the biggest stage of her life, and what more could anyone ask for? She finished only 58 seconds off of the leader and that is amazing. Even bigger than all that is what her performance today and season as a whole represents for this program, athletic department, and Academy of Art University. NCAA All-American. It's no longer a hope, a wish, a vision; it's now reality. Jenny Bergren is proof for anyone who still doubts what can be accomplished at the NCAA level from an art school.”

En route to the NCAA National Championship race, Bergren led the Urban Knights in each and every competition. After winning the SF State Invitational outright on Sept. 14, Bergren would later go on to take 1st at the PacWest Championships in Hawaii on Oct. 27, ultimately leading to her Runner of the Year honor and a spot on the All-PacWest First Team. She then placed 6th overall at the NCAA West Regional Championships (Nov. 3 also in Hawaii) to punch her ticket to Nationals while also earning an U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-West Region honor.

"Jenny had never been to Nationals before, Academy of Art University had never been to Nationals before, and I had never seen Division II Nationals before so this experience was as new as it could possibly be for all of us," assistant coach  Torrey Olson said. "Afterwards, the first thing she said was, 'That was so hard.' We are incredibly proud of how Jenny perfectly executed her race in such a new environment."

Bergren's 15th place result at Nationals was the third highest from the West Region and her time of 21:01.6 was a season-best for the Urban Knight. This appearance at Nationals caps not only an exquisite cross country career for Bergren, but also the 2012 Academy of Art University cross country season itself. However, she and the rest of the ART U track & field team return to compete in their indoor season which is set to begin on Dec. 1 at Boise State.

"It has been quite an experience," Bergren said. "Making it to Nationals and placing Top 15 has been incredible. I wouldn't have changed anything."