VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Colorado School of Mines distance runner Margaux Basart was honored as the NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete for women's indoor track & field as part of the conclusion of the 2026 championship meet on March 14.

The Elite Scholar-Athlete Award - formerly known as the Elite 90 Award - is given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA competing at the finals site of every NCAA championship, with credits earned as a tiebreaker. Honorees must be sophomores or higher in their academic year.

Basart holds a 4.0 GPA after receiving her bachelor's degree in engineering physics in 2025, and is now working on a master's degree in quantum engineering at Mines. She was a double-entrant at this year's NCAA Championships, coming in 11th in the 5,000m on Friday and 10th in the 3,000m on Saturday, both Second-Team All-America finishes.

Basart is the 15th Oredigger to win an Elite award dating back to 2010, and Mines track & field and cross country have accounted for 10 of those winners, the most by any track & field program in the history of NCAA Division II. The Orediggers' most recent award had come during the 2024 indoor season with Zoe Baker.