Seven UIS cross country and track & field student-athletes earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors, three from the women's program and four from the men's. UIS was represented by Cort Ross, Jordan Serrahn, Emma Leahy, Ryan Jones, Noah Tegeler, Madelyn Miller, and Briar Nevills.
In order to be eligible, student-athletes must be at least sophomores in athletic and academic standing, maintain at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average, and rank in the top-50 in the region in their respective event(s). Performances from cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field are considered.
Ryan Jones was the UIS athlete with the most top-50 marks in track & field during the 2023-24 school year. The economics major ranked top-50 in the Midwest in the indoor 800m, indoor mile, indoor 3,000m, indoor 5,000m, outdoor 1500m, and outdoor 3,000m steeplechase. Jones finished the year regionally-ranked 8th in the steeplechase, an event in which he was the GLVC runner-up. He also earned all-conference honors in cross country in the fall. Jones is under consideration for the Academic All-America Ballot.
Cort Ross was third in the Midwest region in cross country in 2023, the highest regional finish by a UIS cross country athlete in program history. He also ranked top-50 in the indoor 3,000m, indoor 5,000m, outdoor 1500m, outdoor 5,000m, and outdoor 10,000m. The exercise science major was the GLVC Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year, as well as the GLVC Fall Scholar-Athlete of the Year in men's cross country. He earned All-GLVC and USTFCCCA All-Region Accolades in all three seasons of competition and was a USTFCCCA All-American in cross country. Ross has been advanced to the Academic All-American ballot for his achievements.
Madelyn Miller had the most top-50 marks for UIS women's cross country and track & field. She finished 36th at the Midwest Regional in cross country, and ranked top-50 in the indoor 3,000m, indoor 5,000m, outdoor 5,000m, and outdoor 10,000m. The elementary education major finished 11th at the most recent GLVC Cross Country Championships to become the first All-GLVC UIS women's cross country athlete since 2021. She had a total of four top-10 finishes in distance events at GLVC track & field championship in 2024.
Briar Nevills, a junior transfer majoring in criminology and criminal justice, ranked Midwest top-50 in cross country, the indoor 5,000m, outdoor 5,000m, and outdoor 10,000m. Nevills earned All-GLVC honors in his first conference championship as a Prairie Star by taking 10th at the GLVC Cross Country Championships in October.
Noah Tegeler, a junior business administration major, ranked among the top-50 Midwest athletes in the indoor 3,000m, indoor 5,000m, outdoor 5,000m, and outdoor 10,000m. Tegeler was a first-time All-GLVC honoree in indoor track & field in 2024.
Jordan Serrahn, a senior business administration major, ranked among the top-50 Midwest athletes in the women's 10,000 meter run.
Emma Leahy, a sophomore English major, also ranked among the top-50 Midwest athletes in the women's 10,000 meter run.
Jordan Serrahn was the UIS Female Senior Scholar Student-Athlete in 2023-24 while Cort Ross was the Male Co-Senior Scholar Student-Athlete, an award he shared with Clark Morgan of UIS baseball.
Miller, Ross, Nevills, Jones, and Tegeler also earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors for their academic and athletic achievements in the fall semester.
Academic All-District® honorees were considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. Student-athletes selected as CSC Academic All-America® finalists are denoted with an asterisk and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First-, second- and third-team Women's Track and Field/Cross Country honorees will be announced on Tuesday, July 9. Men's Track and Field/Cross Country Academic All-America® honorees will be announced on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.
The Division II and III CSC Academic All-America® programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2023-24 Divisions II and III Academic All-America® programs. The NAIA CSC Academic All-America® program is partially financially supported through the NAIA governance structure.
For more information about CSC Academic All-District® and Academic All-America® Teams program, visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.
CSC Academic All-District Teams