Sioux Center, Iowa – Academic honors were announced by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for the 2024-25 track and field season and the Dordt University women’s team recorded the highest GPA among all NAIA teams. In addition, 17 Defenders received All-Academic honors by the USTFCCCA.
The Defenders, under the direction of Head Coach Craig Heynen, recorded an impressive 3.83 team GPA, highest among all NAIA teams for the 2024-25 season. This is the second consecutive year the Defenders were ranked in the top five nationally in team GPAC (4th in 2024).
- Criteria for a team to be named an All-Academic Team:
- The cumulative GPA for all student-athletes on the institution’s eligibility certificate for Indoor and/or Outdoor Track & Field must be 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period, certifiable by either Faculty Rep or Compliance Coordinator or Registrar’s Office.
- The cumulative GPA of all student-athletes on the institution’s eligibility certificate for Indoor and/or Outdoor Track & Field must be computed by the following method:
- Total the cumulative number of semester hours or quarter hours earned for all student-athletes on the eligibility certificate including the most recent grading period;
- Total the cumulative number of quality points earned by all student-athletes, including the most recent grading period;
- Divide the cumulative number of quality points earned by the cumulative number of semester or quarter hours earned.
- Institutions utilizing a different GPA scale than 4.0 then must convert the GPA to a 4.0 scale using the standard conversion method [GPA/Scale x 4.0].
17 Defenders earned All-Academic individual honors for this past season, most among GPAC teams and tied for fourth in the NAIA.
- Criteria to be named an NAIA All-Academic Athlete:
- Minimum cumulative grade point average of a 3.25 on a 4.0 scale through the end of the semester of competition.
- Must have completed at least 24 semester hours/36 quarter hours through the end of the semester of competition at the institution.
- Transfer students and/or graduate students are to include only grades earned at the current nominating institution.
- The student-athlete must have achieved an automatic or provisional qualifying mark (individual or relay event) for either the indoor season or outdoor season.
The following is a list of the 17 Defenders who earned the academic honor, along with their listed major and what events they met a provisional / auto mark:
- Kailee Altena 4×400 relay (indoor and outdoor) / Business and Finance major
- Cornie Braun 1000m and 4×800 relay (indoor), 800m and 4×800 relay (outdoor) / Exercise Science major
- Jaci Burtis Mile and Distance Medley (indoor), 4×800 relay (outdoor) / Environmental Studies major
- Shelby Buwalda 600m, 4×800 (indoor) / 400m, 800m, 4×400 relay (outdoor) / Biology major
- Addy Crow Steeplechase (outdoor) / Business and Marketing major
- Ada Dekkers Business major
- Ayda Den Herder 4×400 relay (outdoor) / Secondary Education, Math major
- Arielle DeYoung 4×800 relay and Distance Medley (indoor) / Engineering major
- Lindsay Grau 4×400 relay (indoor and outdoor) / Elementary Education major
- Anna Heynen 4×400 relay (indoor) / Art Education major
- Emilee Heynen 4×800 relay (indoor and outdoor) / Social Work major
- Olivia Hoogland Distance Medley (indoor) / Biology major
- Lauren Johnson – Criminal Justice and Forensic Psychology major
- Jada Koerner Distance Medley (indoor) / Agriculture major
- Fran Travis Discus, Shot Put (outdoor) / Biology major
- Makenna Walhof Discus (outdoor) / Engineering major
- Kaitlyn Wercinski 4×400 relay (indoor and outdoor) / Biology major
KIWA Staff Photo
