Edinboro Athletics Hall of Fame
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Rachael Lanzel-Niemira ('09) was a standout in cross country and track & field from 2004-09. She was a three-time All-American in cross country (2004, 2006-07) and two-time All-American in track & field (2006 and 2008). She would conclude her career by being named the 2009 Nancy Acker Award recipient. She is one of four Edinboro runners to earn All-American honors three times in cross country. In addition, she was a four-time All-PSAC honoree in cross country and earned All-East Region honors four times. Lanzel-Niemira was a member of the 2004 team which finished second at the NCAA Cross Country National Championships, the highest finish in school history. She began her Edinboro running career in 2004 as one of three Edinboro runners to earn All-American accolades at the NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships. She would finish 24th in her freshman season after placing fifth at the PSAC Championships and eighth at the NCAA East Regional. Edinboro won both the conference and regional titles before placing second nationally. She was named the PSAC Rookie of the Year, and would later sweep the awards for Indoor Track and Outdoor Track. In 2005, Lanzel-Niemira again earned All-PSAC and All-East Region honors, placing second at both meets. Edinboro would finish 13th at Nationals, won the PSAC Championship, and finishing first at the East Regional. She became a two-time All-American in cross country while posting one of the best finishes ever by an Edinboro women's runner at Nationals. She placed fourth while leading the Fighting Scots to a tenth place showing at the NCAA National Championships. Edinboro won the PSAC Championship for the ninth straight year, then came in second at the East Regional. She picked up another major PSAC honor, being named the PSAC Runner of the Year. As a senior in 2007, Lanzel-Niemira earned All-American honors for the third time with a 17th place showing at Nationals. She won the individual title at the East Regional as Edinboro came in second, and finished second at the PSAC Championships, with Edinboro finishing third. She was named the PSAC Runner of the Year and USTFCCCA East Region Runner of the Year. In track & field, she was named the PSAC Indoor Track Rookie of the Year and PSAC Outdoor Track Rookie of the Year, becoming the only freshman to win an event at the PSAC Indoor Championships, finishing first in the 5,000-meter run. She would place third in the 5,000-meter run at the PSAC Outdoor Championships and qualified for Nationals in the event. A year later, she earned All-American accolades for the first time track with and eighth place finish in the 5,000-meter run at the NCAA Outdoor National Championships. After winning the 5,000-meter run at the PSAC Indoor Track & Field Championships with a PSAC-record time of 16:44.22, Lanzel-Niemira would miss most of the outdoor season with an injury. She returned as a senior in 2008 to earn All-American honors for second time, finishing third in the 10,000-meter run. She earlier placed second in the event at the PSAC Outdoor Championships. She remains the school-record holder in the indoor 5,000-meter run, while winning the event all four years at the PSAC Indoor Championships. Lanzel-Niemira was also an outstanding student who was a three-time PSAC Top 10 Award honoree (fall 2006, fall 2007, spring 2008). She graduated from Edinboro with a Bachelor's Degree in Health & Physical Education in 2009, and, earned her Masters' Degree in Speech language Pathology from Edinboro in 2012. Lanzel-Niemira currently resides in Edinboro with her husband Dave Niemira, who was also a standout runner for the Fighting Scots. They have one daughter, Esme. She has previously worked as a Speech Pathologist in Early Intervention at the Barber National Institute.
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