Army West Point Athletics
Joanna Halfhill Named AWPAA's Academic Support Team’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year
June 16, 2025 | Women's Cross Country, Women's Track and Field
WEST POINT, N.Y. — The Army West Point Athletics Association's Academic Support team named Joanna Halfhill as its 2024-25 Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Joanna Halfhill graduates with a 4.237 cumulative GPA as a physics major with honors; making the Dean's List every semester she's been at West Point. She finished third in her class, graduating Summa Cum Laude.
Joanna was named a 2025 Draper Scholarship recipient; as such, she will continue her education at Tufts University in physics in the fall of 2025.
The Draper Scholarship provides a platform for advancing your field through graduate thesis research while addressing crucial challenges in national security. Scholars gain access to state-of-the-art facilities, expertise from our skilled team, and a cohesive learning environment as they evolve into the next generation of innovators. The program is designed to transform exceptional students into innovative professionals by integrating thesis research with hands-on experience.
Joanna Halfhill served as a team captain on the 2024 Patriot League champion women's cross country team and was a member of the 2025 Patriot League champion women's track and field team.
She holds the Academy record for the 1000m and is a member of the Academy record-holding Distance Medley Relay team. She is No. 4 on the Army all-time list in the one mile in indoor track and field. She was also named to the 2024-25 Patriot League Honor Roll for Cross Country this past fall.
Lastly, Halfhill received six major honors at the United States Military Academy's annual awards presentations, celebrating her exceptional performance across multiple disciplines, particularly in the sciences and engineering.
Among the top honors, Halfhill was presented the Brigadier General John R. Jannarone Memorial Award, a silver tray given by the Class of 1938 to the cadet with the highest class standing in academics. This award honors the legacy of BG Jannarone, the fifth Dean of the Academic Board (1965–1973), and was presented by LTC (Ret) USAF Jack Jannarone.
She also earned the Sewell Tappan Tyng Memorial Award, established in 1979, awarded for the highest rating in Nuclear Engineering, as well as the Brigadier General Gerald A. Counts Memorial Award for the highest rating in physics. Both awards were presented by COL Peter H. Chapman.
Further demonstrating her exceptional academic record, Halfhill received the Colonel Herbert Bainbridge Hayden Memorial Award for the highest standing in Basic Sciences, and the Colonel Theodore S. Westhusing Memorial Award recognizing the cadet with the third highest overall class standing. These were presented by BG Shane R. Reeves, Dean of the Academic Board.
Hear From Coach Smith:
"Joanna exemplifies what it means to be a scholar athlete. Not only is she our guiding star as our team Captain, but she is also a leader amongst her peers academically and athletically. I think most people would be in awe and amazed at how she balances and excels in all pillars. One of Joanna's greatest qualities is her ability to not overthink things, she simply focuses on execution. Joanna cares about the details and understands how doing the little things right leads to long-term success. Joanna leads by example and is an inspiration to her teammates, coaches, and peers. We could not be more proud of her."
Players Mentioned
