Photo by: Reily Rogers - @reilyrogersphoto
Emily Paupore Earns Prestigious Bob James Award from MAC
8/28/2025 9:43:00 AM | Track & Field, Our Stories
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Central Michigan's Emily Paupore has been named the Mid-American Conference Bob James Memorial Award winner for 2025.
The award, named in honor of the second commissioner in league history, goes to one female and one male graduating student-athlete who have achieved a 3.50 grade point average and have displayed good character, leadership and citizenship. Each receives a $5,000 post-graduate scholarship.
"Emily truly represents the best of our student-athlete culture at Central Michigan," Zyzelewski Family Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics Director Amy Folan said. "She is a shining example of what a student-athlete should strive to be and she leaves an unprecedented legacy at CMU and we thrilled for her to have been recognized by the conference with this prestigious honor. She has reached tremendous heights at CMU and it's only the beginning for her. We can't wait to see her shine in the future."
Paupore is the first CMU student-athlete to receive the award since basketball player John McCarty in 2018 and the first female CMU student-athlete to be so honored since volleyball player Wendy Feldman in 1999.
A native of Negaunee, Paupore is pursuing a bachelor of science in education degree and carries a 3.91 grade point average.
Paupore is a three-time United State Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic honoree and was 10 times named Academic All-MAC throughout her CMU career.
She earned First Team All-MAC honors five times in her career and three times she earned second team all-conference honors. She holds CMU program records in both the 5K and 6K in cross country along with the indoor track and field 3,000- and 5,000-meter marks and the outdoor 3,000-meter steeplechase and 5,000-meter run.
Paupore finished 11th in the steeplechase to earn All-America honors at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships after winning the event, and the 5,000-meter run for the second straight year, at the MAC Championships. She also captured the MAC indoor 5,000-meter title in 2024.
In 2023, Paupore became CMU's first female to finish first in the MAC Cross Country Championships and in 2024 she became the third female in program history to qualify for the NCAA Cross County Championship.
The award, named in honor of the second commissioner in league history, goes to one female and one male graduating student-athlete who have achieved a 3.50 grade point average and have displayed good character, leadership and citizenship. Each receives a $5,000 post-graduate scholarship.
"Emily truly represents the best of our student-athlete culture at Central Michigan," Zyzelewski Family Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics Director Amy Folan said. "She is a shining example of what a student-athlete should strive to be and she leaves an unprecedented legacy at CMU and we thrilled for her to have been recognized by the conference with this prestigious honor. She has reached tremendous heights at CMU and it's only the beginning for her. We can't wait to see her shine in the future."
Paupore is the first CMU student-athlete to receive the award since basketball player John McCarty in 2018 and the first female CMU student-athlete to be so honored since volleyball player Wendy Feldman in 1999.
A native of Negaunee, Paupore is pursuing a bachelor of science in education degree and carries a 3.91 grade point average.
Paupore is a three-time United State Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic honoree and was 10 times named Academic All-MAC throughout her CMU career.
She earned First Team All-MAC honors five times in her career and three times she earned second team all-conference honors. She holds CMU program records in both the 5K and 6K in cross country along with the indoor track and field 3,000- and 5,000-meter marks and the outdoor 3,000-meter steeplechase and 5,000-meter run.
Paupore finished 11th in the steeplechase to earn All-America honors at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships after winning the event, and the 5,000-meter run for the second straight year, at the MAC Championships. She also captured the MAC indoor 5,000-meter title in 2024.
In 2023, Paupore became CMU's first female to finish first in the MAC Cross Country Championships and in 2024 she became the third female in program history to qualify for the NCAA Cross County Championship.
Players Mentioned
Distance
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