University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass' Hilliard Recipient Of A-10 Postgraduate Scholarship
May 21, 2015 | Women's Cross Country
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - UMass women's cross country/track and field senior Rachel Hilliard is among 14 recipients of the annual A-10 Postgraduate Scholarship, Atlantic 10 Conference Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade announced Wednesday.
The program, which began honoring two student-athletes in 1991, has been so successful and well received by both the recipients and the A-10 member institutions that it has expanded several times. The most recent expansion, which was adopted in January of 2015, now includes one representative from each A-10 school, resulting in the record-breaking 14 honorees.
"We've had the opportunity to grow the postgraduate program a significant amount as part of the A-10's commitment to providing strong academic support for our student-athletes. Granting 14 scholarships for graduate education speaks volumes about the Atlantic 10 membership and its dedication to our student-athletes," said George Washington Director of Athletics and Recreation Patrick Nero, who serves as Chair of the A-10 Athletic Directors.
Designed to provide graduating student-athletes the opportunity to continue their college education, the program now awards $70,000 in scholarship funding to former A-10 student-athletes, more than triple what the program previously granted. This year, all 14 honorees will receive $5,000 to contribute towards full-time enrollment in a graduate or professional program.
"These 14 outstanding student-athletes are well-deserving of one of the most prestigious awards in the Atlantic 10. They have been committed to being stellar academically and athletically, and I congratulate each of them and wish them luck as they pursue their advanced degrees," stated McGlade. "I also commend our member institutions for their vision in expanding this worthwhile scholarship fund."
Hilliard, who earned her degree in Biology from UMass this spring, will continue her academic career this fall in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell. In her career with the Minutewomen, she was a two-time A-10 Academic All-Conference recipient for cross country and track & field and was on the A-10 Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll for all four years at UMass. Hlliard earned the Athletic Director's 4.0 Award all four years and was a University Dean's List student all eight semesters. The Hookstown, Pa., native was a member of Commonwealth Honors College and was a two-time Commonwealth Honors College Research Fellowship Awardee.
Last fall she earned her first career Atlantic 10 All-Conference nod after finishing seventh at the 2014 Atlantic 10 Cross Country Championships. During the 2015 indoor season, Hilliard took third in the women's one mile run at the Atlantic 10 Championships with a time of 5-minutes, 0.27-seconds and also competed in the distance medley relay that finished fourth overall in 11-minutes, 53.15-seconds, while also scoring in the 3,000-meter run at the conference meet, finishing in eighth place.
During the 2015 outdoor season, she scored in two events at the Atlantic 10 Championships, taking sixth in both the 1500-meter run and the 4x80-meter relay. She capped off her career with a personal record in the 1500-meter run at the ECAC Championships, which ranks her fourth all-time in the UMass record book.
Hilliard was a five-time UMass Athlete of the Week and was tabbed UMass' Female Fall Scholar-Athlete for cross country in 2014. She has served as a member of the UMass Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and volunteers at local elementary schools. Hilliard volunteers over summer breaks at a therapeutic riding stable called Horses with Hope.