Marie-Louise Asselin earned seven All-America honors (three in cross country and four in track and field) during her decorated running career from 2006-10.
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A native of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, Asselin became only one of two WVU runners to earn three All-America honors in cross country when she did so in 2009. Along with teammate Keri Bland, Asselin achieved the honor by finishing in 31st place (20:43) at the 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championships. The Mountaineers went on to finish sixth as a team, marking the third-consecutive year that WVU finished in the top 10.
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Her success continued into the track season as she posted a second-place finish in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships (15:50.53) and a second-place finish in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships (15:53.93). Her indoor 5,000-meter time currently sits as the WVU program record.
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In 2008, she helped lead WVU to its most successful season in school history as the Mountaineers finished fourth at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, first at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals and second at the Big East Championship. She became WVU's first female Big East cross country champion with a time of 20:10. She placed 17th at the NCAA Championships with a time of 20:27 to earn her second All-America honor.
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In the 2008-09 indoor track season, Asselin placed seventh in the 3,000 meters to earn All-America honors and was on the All-America distance medley relay team that finished fourth at nationals.
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Asselin earned her first All-America honor as a sophomore in 2007, finishing 17th with a time of 20:39 to become WVU's third All-American in women's cross country. She helped WVU to a Big East Championship and a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Asselin took third at the Big East Championship and second at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional race, leading WVU to a second-place regional finish. Asselin and Bland became the first WVU duo to earn All-America honors in the same season.
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In addition to her All-America honors, she earned NCAA All-Mid-Atlantic Region honors (2006-09), All-Big East accolades (2007-09), Big East Indoor Outstanding Track Performer (2008) and CoSIDA Academic All-America Second (2010) and Third (2009) teams.
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Asselin graduated from WVU with a bachelor's degree in biochemistry and a bachelor's degree in nursing. She worked in the emergency room at WVU Medicine and then as a nurse in the emergency room at the University of Vermont Medical Center.
She currently resides in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with her husband, Donald Bennett, and three children, Leo, Luca and Eloise.
