Mikayla Cheney, Chase Hill, Madeline Lenkart & Bailey O'Connor Named March Scholar-Athletes by Center for Enhanced Performance

WEST POINT, NY - The Army West Point Athletics Association's Academic Support team has selected its scholar-athletes for the month of March, recognizing track & field freshman Mikayla Cheney, track & field senior Charles Hill, women's lacrosse senior Madeline Lenkart and men's lacrosse senior Bailey O'Connor.

Mikayla Cheney '27 (track & field)

In her Plebe year with an academic GPA of 3.705.
Cumulative quality point average is 3.676, reflecting high standards in all the pillars.
On the Dean's List.
At the 2024 David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston, ran the fastest time for the mile in Army history, running in 4:44.94 and improving her personal best by 2 seconds.
In the 2024 Indoor Star meet against Navy, won the mile in 4:46:41, breaking the meet record that had stood since 1995 by 4 seconds. At the same meet she also won the 1000 in the 2^nd fastest time ever run by an Army athlete, setting a new Star meet record.
At the 2024 Patriot League Indoor Championships, came 2^nd in the mile and also earned points in the 800m.

"In a very short amount of time, Mikayla Cheney has made a name for herself because of her athletic accomplishments. She was a top 5 performer on our women's cross country team propelling that squad to a Star meet win and a Patriot League Championship. Indoors, she set the Star meet record in the mile and the 1000 meters in only her third collegiate indoor meet. She went on to set program records in the mile and as a member of the distance medley relay the following weekend. And while these performances have all been significant, it is the way she has gone about her business that most defines her. From a coaching perspective, she is like a sponge that easily absorbs guidance and direction. She is an intuitive racer with a keen sense of when to attack, when to follow and most importantly, how to win. She understands that she is not entitled to success and is therefore constantly pushing her limits to try to achieve at a higher level. In then end however, Mikayla is first and foremost a team player. She is willing to suffer if that effort will benefit the team. So, when you add up all of her skills, it is not a surprise that she is successful in the classroom and as a Cadet at West Point. We often start our practices with a mantra, "It's a great day to be a black knight!". And while that is merely a catch phrase to help guide our team toward a positive frame of mind, I know that Mikayla embodies that ideal. She brings a fresh and vibrant energy to each day that serves her well in all of her endeavors. She has only given us a glimpse of her capabilities and if that is any indication of future potential, there will be much more to say about Mikayla Cheney in the coming years." - Director of Track & Field Mike Smith

Charles Hill '24 (track & field)

Arabic Foreign Language Major with Systems Engineering Minor with an overall academic GPA of 3.631
Cumulative quality point average is 3.620, reflecting excellence in Military and Physical pillars as well
Earned a 3.932 academic GPA for Fall Term (24-1)
Earned Dean's List in all 7 semesters at the Academy
Won the Javelin competition at the 2022 West Point Twilight meet with a throw of 58.33m
Finished 5^th overall at the 2023 Beach Opener with a personal best throw of 58.87m in the Javelin
Tabbed the IOCT with a time of 2:37 and scored a 578/600 on the most recent ACFT
Extremely hard worker and a great team player

"Chase came to us as a baseball player and has made himself into a competitive javelin thrower. While it might seem like an easy transition from baseball to the javelin, it is anything but. The arm mechanics of a baseball throw when applied to a javelin often result in significant injuries. Chase walked into this world of transition and had to relearn how to throw. That is not an easy task but one that he embraced. He has thrived. Chase's willingness to work did not end with mastering the technique of the javelin throw, he has clearly applied himself to his classroom work and cadet life. His well-rounded example is one that others choose to follow and our team is better for it. We are lucky to have him on our roster and he continues to lead the way through example and result." - Director of Track & Field Mike Smith

Madeline Lenkart '24 (women's lacrosse)
Cadet Madeline Lenkart - a starting midfielder and one of three captains of the Army Women's Lacrosse team - demonstrates excellence across all facets of cadet performance. Madeline excels as a scholar, both in the classroom and through research. She is a Distinguished Cadet and a recipient of the Superintendent's Award for Excellence. Madeline has received an A+ in 15 courses, including some of the most challenging classes offered at the Academy—Advanced Multivariable Calculus, Advanced Physics, and System Dynamics Simulation. As a Systems Engineering major, she has achieved the highest score of the academic year in three department courses. Madeline is active within the American Society for Engineering Management (ASEM) club, continuously demonstrating leadership during trip sections and competitions. As a second-class cadet, she received the Merl Baker Award at the ASEM International Annual conference; recognizing her paper investigating energy infrastructure resiliency for the DoD as the best student published paper.

Madeline is in a Systems Engineering Capstone Group that conducts a senior engineering design project over the course of two semesters. A mostly egalitarian endeavor, Madeline is always the de facto leader. Relentlessly prepared for class, she influences her team and elevates the quality of their work. The capstone is part of the DARPA Resilient Supply Demand Networks program that works to understand the current state of the DoD and civilian supply chain networks, assess and identify key risks, build data-driven models to predict and prevent vulnerabilities and augment network maps with simulation capabilities to assess the impact of future shocks on the system. The Head of the Department of Systems Engineering, COL Julia Coxen, said Madeline is "the quiet professional everyone dreams of having on their teams and will surely be an extraordinary Army officer."

Madeline Lenkart is also an outstanding leader in the Corps of Cadets. She was selected for two critical and time-intensive jobs, first as a company operations officer and next as the company ACT officer. She has excelled in both roles. As an operations officer, Madeline planned, resourced, and executed training for 120 cadets. She built effective communications systems and developed processes to streamline information flow across the company. As the ACT officer, Madeline serves her fellow cadets by providing an outlet and resource for those in need. She keeps her pulse on the company climate and provides feedback to her peers and the tactical team. Madeline is respected by all and is a true natural leader.

Madeline Lenkart is a standout leader, player, and scholar who embodies the best of the Corps of Cadets as a leader of character.

Noto Family Head Women's Lacrosse Coach Michelle Tumolo described her as the epitome of selflessness. "As a coach, it has been an absolute pleasure to witness her dedication and commitment to her team and her role at West Point. On the lacrosse field, Madeline's tireless work ethic and unwavering determination make her a formidable force. Whether she's defending a 1v1 matchup or battling for a 50/50 ground ball, Madeline goes 110%. She plays almost every second of a 60-minute game and will never ask for a break. Off the field, Madeline's caring nature shines through in her interactions with teammates and coaches alike. She consistently goes above and beyond to support her fellow players, offering encouragement, guidance, and a listening ear whenever needed. Her selflessness extends beyond the field, as she takes immense pride in representing West Point and upholding its values. Madeline is an exceptional person above all else. She is an invaluable asset to our program and is vital in our success."

Lenkart has also received Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks for her standout performance on the field.

Bailey OConnor '24 (men's lacrosse)
Bailey O'Connor epitomizes everything that we seek in our cadets. He is a balanced cadet with high expectations for himself, demonstrated by his excellence across all endeavors. As a lacrosse player and member of the class of 2024, Bailey has spent the past four years illustrating what is possible when talent and hard work intersect.

He is a Law and Legal Studies major, boasting a 3.63 cumulative academic performance score. Last semester, he earned an A+ in Analytical Methods for Engineering Management, a rigorous quantitative course that requires diligence and strong computational skills; he finished the course 4th out of 175 enrolled students. He maintains over a 3.0 in both his military and physical cumulative performance scores, reflecting his hard work across all pillars.

On the lacrosse field, it would be hard to ask for more from Bailey. As a two-year starter on the first midfield line, Bailey has tallied 27 goals and 10 assists over his career. This includes critical performances this year in three games won by only one goal – he tallied two goals against UMASS, two goals and one assist vs Syracuse, and a stunning coast-to-coast goal against North Carolina.

Bailey will commission as a field artillery officer, and his first duty assignment will be Fort Cavazos with 1st BCT, 1st Cavalry Division.

Army West Point Athletics

Mikayla Cheney, Chase Hill, Madeline Lenkart & Bailey O'Connor Named March Scholar-Athletes by Center for Enhanced Performance

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