WESTWOOD, Mass. — Wheaton College (Mass.) men's cross country runners Parker Fullem (Wantage, N.J.), Kai Hillier (Hinesburg, Vt.), Nick Lacroix (Bedford, N.H.) and Lucas MacKenzie (Saint Albans, Vt.) were named to the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference Academic All-Conference squad, it was announced by the league. 

Honorees must have met the following criteria: earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5/4.0 scale or 4.35/5.0 scale after the 2024 spring semester, achieved second year academic status at their institution, and been a member of the varsity team for the entire season.

The total of four selections matches last year's count of four to represent the most-ever for the Lyons. Fullem, Hillier and Lacroix earn the accolade for the second straight year, while MacKenzie is a first-time designee.

Fullem is a junior Biology major. He posted a season-best eight-kilometer time of 28:51.9 to place 83rd at the NEWMAC Championship in Wellesley, Mass. on November 2. The mark was his fastest time at the conference title meet during his career. 

Hillier was Wheaton's top finisher throughout the season. The junior Business and Management major registered a personal-record 8K time of 25:46.6 at the UMass Dartmouth Cross Country Invitational on September 21 to finish 33rd in the race. He finished 20th to lead the Lyons at the NEWMAC Championship. Hillier also turned in a fourth-place effort at the Shawn M. Nassaney Cross Country Invitational on September 7.

Lacroix placed 78th at the NEWMAC Championship with a time of 28:30.9. The junior Mathematics major finished 49th at the 10th Annual Wheaton & Babson Season-Opener with a 5K time of 17:28.2 on August 31. His best 8K time of the year came at the Keene State College Invitational (27:06.5) on October 5.

MacKenzie showed great improvement throughout the campaign, capped with a personal-record time of 29:54.6 to place 98th at the NEWMAC title meet. The junior Political Science major opened the year with his highest finish of the season, crossing the line in 78th place at the Wheaton & Babson Season-Opener. 

The Lyons finished sixth as a team at the NEWMAC Championship and placed 22nd at the NCAA East Regional Championship on November 16 in Hopkinton, N.H.