KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The NAIA released their 2011 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete awards for cross country on Friday, and Embry-Riddle's Julie Mayfield is one of 296 female cross country runners on the roster.

Student-athletes are nominated by their institution's head coach and must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved a junior academic status in order to qualify for the honor.

The senior from Ormond Beach, Fla. boasts a 3.93 GPA in Homeland Security at ERAU, while helping the Eagles to their sixth straight Sun Conference Championship this season. Mayfield and the Blue and Gold will run in the 2011 NAIA National Championships on Saturday at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver, Wash.

Mayfield has finished as the third or better Eagle finisher in the last four Embry-Riddle races, including a second-place ERAU finish at The Sun Conference Championship.

Mayfield was The Sun Conference's female nominee for the A.O. Duer Award in 2010, presented annually to a junior that excels both academically and athletically. She was named the 2010-11 Steve and Vicky Ridder Scholarship winner at Embry-Riddle, Mayfield embodies a commitment to academic achievement, campus and community involvement, personal holistic growth and a drive to excel in sport. Mayfield was also named a Champions of Character scholarship award winner for the 2011 academic season.