Kansas State’s track and field program has once again demonstrated excellence both in competition and in the classroom, earning multiple national academic honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
The Wildcats’ men’s team was named the 2026 USTFCCCA Indoor National Scholar Team of the Year, while a combined 27 K-State student-athletes were recognized as All-Academic Athletes, highlighting the program’s continued commitment to balancing elite athletic performance with academic success.
National Honor Caps Outstanding Indoor Season
The K-State men’s team captured the prestigious Indoor National Scholar Team of the Year award after combining academic excellence with an impressive performance at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
The Wildcats finished fourth nationally at the NCAA Indoor Championships held on March 14 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, while posting a 3.23 cumulative team GPA, meeting the criteria for one of the highest academic honors in collegiate track and field.
The recognition places Kansas State among the nation’s premier programs, rewarding both its success on the track and its dedication in the classroom.
Women’s Team Also Earns All-Academic Recognition
The Wildcats’ women’s program also enjoyed an outstanding academic year.
The team earned USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors after compiling an impressive 3.46 cumulative GPA, comfortably surpassing the minimum academic standard required for recognition.
Together, both programs reinforced Kansas State’s reputation as one of the country’s strongest track and field programs academically and athletically.
Twenty-Seven Wildcats Named All-Academic Athletes
In addition to the team honors, 27 Kansas State athletes received individual USTFCCCA All-Academic Athlete recognition.
Men’s All-Academic Athletes
The 12 men’s honorees include:
- Oskars Bambals
- Thomas Canivet
- Tah Chikomba
- Croix DaCunha
- Mattix DaCunha
- Jack Guthridge
- Kade McCall
- Gary Moore Jr.
- Uroy Ryan
- Emil Uhlin
- Tavon Underwood
- Cyrus Ways
Women’s All-Academic Athletes
The 15 women’s recipients are:
- Delaney Brinker
- Zoey Brinker
- Reese Brownlee
- Jourdin Edwards
- Sharie Enoe
- Aaliyah Foster
- Kayla Goodwin
- Vienna Lahner
- Aaliyah Lindsay
- Taylor Mayo
- Destini Smith
- Tesia Thomas
- Shanniqua Williams
- Delaney Wright
- Maud Zeffou-Poaty
The honors recognize athletes who have excelled academically while also competing at one of the highest levels of NCAA track and field competition.
Multiple Wildcats Continue Academic Excellence
Several Kansas State athletes have now earned All-Academic recognition multiple times during their collegiate careers.
Those repeat honorees include Oskars Bambals, Jourdin Edwards, Aaliyah Foster, Kayla Goodwin, Vienna Lahner, Aaliyah Lindsay, Taylor Mayo, Kade McCall, Uroy Ryan, Tesia Thomas, Emil Uhlin, and Maud Zeffou-Poaty.
Their continued success reflects the program’s culture of maintaining high academic standards alongside athletic achievement.
Building on a Tradition of Success
Kansas State’s latest accomplishment continues a long tradition of academic excellence within the program.
The Wildcats previously earned the Indoor National Scholar Team of the Year distinction in 2024 under former head coach Cliff Rovelto, and both the men’s and women’s teams have now received USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors for nine consecutive years.
The consistent recognition highlights the program’s sustained commitment to developing student-athletes who excel in every aspect of collegiate life.
Big 12 Well Represented Nationally
Kansas State was one of several Big 12 Conference schools recognized for academic achievement.
Both the men’s and women’s programs from Arizona, Baylor, BYU, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech earned All-Academic Team honors. The women’s programs from UCF, Utah, and West Virginia were also recognized.
Overall, 295 Big 12 student-athletes received All-Academic Athlete honors.
BYU led the conference with 21 men’s honorees, while Texas Tech topped the women’s list with 26 recipients. BYU also posted the highest men’s team GPA at 3.43, while West Virginia and BYU tied for the highest women’s team GPA at 3.66.
High Standards Required for Recognition
USTFCCCA academic honors are among the most respected awards in collegiate track and field.
To qualify as an All-Academic Team, programs must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
For All-Academic Athlete recognition, student-athletes must earn at least a 3.25 GPA while also achieving elite competitive success by finishing among the nation’s top performers during the 2025-26 indoor or outdoor track and field seasons.
Kansas State’s ability to meet both academic and athletic benchmarks across so many athletes underscores the strength of its track and field program and further cements the Wildcats as one of the nation’s premier student-athlete success stories.
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