GREENWOOD, Ind. - Lee University track and field national champion Aria Hawkins was named to the 2026 First Team Division II Academic All-America® Women's Track and Field/Cross Country team on Wednesday afternoon. The Academic All-American teams were selected by College Sports Communicators. It is the second year in a row that Hawkins has been an Academic All-American as she was a Third Team Member in 2024-25.
The Division II Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist the College Sports Communicators with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2025-26 Division II Academic All-America® program.
Twelve student-athletes, including eight on the first team, are repeat selections on the Academic All-America® Division II women's track and field/cross country teams. Pittsburg State graduate student Blakelee Winn is the only three-time performer on the list. A first team choice this year, Winn made the third team in 2024-25 and the second team in 2023-24. In addition to Winn and Akintoye, the remaining six veterans on the first team include Jadyn Barnes (Northwest Missouri State), Hannah Hartwell (Fort Lewis), Aria Hawkins (Lee), Jadyn Herron (Colorado State Pueblo), Isabelle Peters (Pittsburg State) and Molly Winner (Ashland). Barnes, Hartwell and Herron made the second team last year, while Hawkins, Peters and Winner were third team choices in 2024-25. Four second team Academic All-America® picks are repeat selections. They include Allison Beasley (Western Colorado), Jennifer Cichra (Slippery Rock), Amber Lawless (Wingate) and Annie Wild (Stanislaus State). Beasley and Wild made the second team last year, while Cichra and Lawless were third team picks in 2024-25.
Hawkins has a 3.96 GPA in psychology. She was the outdoor track and field national champion in the 1500-meter race and the indoor track and field champion in the 3000-meter race. She was an CSC Academic All-District member and a member of the GSC All-Academic Team. She was also the GSC track athlete of the year in both indoor and outdoor track.
Hawkins is the fourth Lee athlete to be named to an Academic All-American team this year. Drew Zielinski and Luke Collier were both on the second team for their respective sports and Stephen Clark was a third team member.
FIRST TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Blessing Akintoye (1) West Texas A&M Jr. 4.00 Health Science
Alexandra Baltazar-Hall Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Gr. 4.00/4.00 Human Factors (G)
Jadyn Barnes (2) Northwest Missouri State University Jr. 4.00 Foods & Nutrition
Margaux Basart Colorado School of Mines Gr. 4.00/4.00 Engineering Physics (U) / Quantum Engineering (G)
Hannah Hartwell (2) Fort Lewis College Sr. 3.93 Environmental Biology
Aria Hawkins (3) Lee University Gr. 3.55/3.96 Psychology
Jadyn Herron (2) Colorado State University Pueblo Sr. 4.00/4.00 Social Work
Emily LaMena Colorado School of Mines Jr. 4.00 Geophysical Engineering
Laura McBride Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Gr. 4.00/4.00 Space Operations (G)
Mikaela Miles Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Sr. 3.75 Aeronautical Science
Isabel Perez-Zoghbi Cal Poly Humboldt Jr. 4.00 Chemistry
Isabelle Peters (3) Pittsburg State University Gr. 3.87/4.00 Educational Leadership (G)
Grace Strongman Colorado School of Mines Gr. 3.99/3.87 Metallurgical & Materials Engineering
Blakelee Winn (3,5) Pittsburg State University Gr. 3.74/4.00 Human, Health Performance, & Recreation (G)
Molly Winner (3) Ashland University Sr. 3.73 Primary Grades/Intervention Dual Education
Kiki Witt Northwest Missouri State University Gr. 4.00/4.00 Therapeutic Recreation
SECOND TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Allison Beasley (2) Western Colorado University Sr. 3.99 Software Engineering & Graphic Design
Jennifer Cichra (3) Slippery Rock University Sr. 4.00 Mechanical Engineering
Isabella Davie Emporia State University So. 4.00 Health & Human
Alaina Diaz Grand Valley State University Sr. 3.53 Educational Studies
Lexie Fontaine Washburn University Sr. 3.90 Health Services Administration
Denise Hernandez Lewis University Sr. 3.57/4.00 Organizational Communication
Elise Knight Ouachita Baptist University Sr. 4.00 Biophysics & Professional Chemistry
Allison Kuzma Hillsdale College So. 3.58 Exercise Science
Amber Lawless (3) Wingate University Sr. 4.00 Elementary Education
Sydney Morris Missouri S&T So. 4.00 Architectural Engineering
Vivian Osagie University of Indianapolis So. 3.92 Information Systems & Applied Data Analytics
Leslie Pollock Ashland University Sr. 3.57 Exercise Science
Mackenzie Pringle Lenoir-Rhyne University Jr. 4.00 Management
Lauren Wallace Mississippi College Sr. 4.00 Curriculum & Instruction
Annie Wild (2) Stanislaus State Jr. 3.92 Communications
THIRD TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Sarai Brown Maryville University Sr. 3.82 Sports Business Management
Anna Bruno University of Mary Jr. 4.00 Music Performance
Adrianne Casey Missouri Southern State University Jr. 3.64 Exercise Science
Qitarah Castlin Tusculum University So. 3.62 Sport Management
Briar Gillum Missouri Southern State University Sr. 3.73 English Education
Abby Hobbs Missouri Southern State University Sr. 4.00 Biology
Landyn Howell Grand Valley State University Gr. 3.97/3.96 Physical Therapy
Keilee Johnson Missouri Southern State University Sr. 3.52 Sport & Recreation Management
Francesca Maurino University of Indianapolis Gr. 3.76/4.00 Business Administration (G)
Emily McCullough Fort Hays State University Sr. 3.85 Health & Human Performance
Madelyn Miller-Ross University of Illinois Springfield Sr. 3.79 Elementary Education
Amiah Murry UAH Jr. 3.92 Accounting
Abigail VanderKooi Grand Valley State University Sr. 3.96 Nursing
Emily Walsh Cedarville University Gr. 3.91/4.00 Nursing
CSC Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year: Blessing Akintoye, West Texas A&M
1 – Academic All-America® first team in 2024-25
2 – Academic All-America® second team in 2024-25
3 – Academic All-America® third team in 2024-25
5 – Academic All-America® second team in 2023-24
