The Fort Hays State track and field/cross country programs had 10 student-athletes earn a spot on the 2024-25 CSC Academic All-District Team, announced Tuesday (June 24). Both the men's and women's teams had five honorees each. The award honors a combination of academic and athletic accomplishments of the individuals selected.
 
This year's honorees from the women's team includes Kieran Burke, Emily Diercks, Jayme Hagerman, Jessica Saunders and Jaycee Vath. Men's recipients include Avrey Albright, Hayden Albright, Dean Clark, Kurtis McCormick and Ethan Salmans.
 
For potential selection to the Academic All-District Team, an individual must rank in the Top 50 of their region in a single event (cross country, indoor track and field or outdoor track and field), not including relay events. They must also be at least a sophomore in athletic eligibility and hold a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.
 
Four of this year's recipients have received multiple All-District picks, including three such honors for Hayden Albright and two each for Vath, McCormick and Salmans.
 
Diercks, Avrey Albright and Hayden Albright were all selected as CSC Academic All-America finalists, making them eligible for selection to the first-, second- and third-team Academic All-America lists that will be announced July 15 (women) and July 16 (men).
 
Burke ranked in the top 50 in the region in both the discus and the hammer throw, posting career-best marks of 138-1 (42.09m) in the discus and 153-11 (46.91m) in the hammer throw. A junior from Wichita, Kan., Burke carries a 3.89 GPA as a nursing major.
 
Diercks qualified for the NCAA Championships in both cross country and outdoor track and field, earning second team All-America recognition in the outdoor 10,000m. She was a four-time All-MIAA recipient this year, winning the cross country league title before adding two all-league medals during the indoor season and one more podium finish outdoors. The junior from Hoxie, Kan. majors in health and human performance and carries a GPA of 3.82.
 
Hagerman ranked in the top 30 in region in both the long jump and triple jump indoors and outdoors this season, posting a top mark of 18-10 (5.74m) in the long jump and 37-8.5 (11.49m) in the triple jump. The sophomore from Larned, Kan. holds a GPA of 3.52 as a health and human performance major emphasizing in sport and exercise therapy.
 
Saunders ranked 19th in the region in the discus, posting a career-best heave of 150-11 (45.99m). The senior from Lehigh, Kan. graduated summa cum laude with a degree in accounting, completing her degree with a 4.00 GPA.
 
Vath was an All-MIAA selection in cross country, placing seventh at the league meet before finishing 28th at regionals. The Lincoln, Kan. native only competed in cross country before graduating summa cum laude in December with a degree in health and human performance and a GPA of 3.94.
 
Avrey Albright ranked in the top 50 in the region in six sprint events, including the 60m, 200m and 400m indoors and the 100m, 200m and 400m outdoors. He ran a national qualifying time of 21.14 in the outdoor 200m and 48.35 in the indoor 400m. Albright eventually earned All-America honors when he helped the men's 4x100m relay team place seventh at the Outdoor National Championships. The sophomore from Kingman, Kan. holds a 3.68 GPA while majoring in management.
 
Hayden Albright ranked in the top 50 in the region in five sprint events, including the indoor 60m, 200m and 400m and the outdoor 100m and 200m. He ran national qualifying times in all three indoor races, including ranking 14th in the region 35th in the country with a time of 21.39 in the 200m. Albright eventually earned his fifth All-America trophy when he helped the men's 4x100m relay team place seventh at the Outdoor National Championships The Kingman, Kan. native graduated cum laude with a degree in information networking and telecommunications last year, carrying a GPA of 3.78. He currently holds a 4.00 in his graduate studies while pursuing a master's degree in professional studies emphasizing in information assurance management.
 
Clark ranked in the top 50 in the region in both the indoor and outdoor long jump and triple jump. He posted career-best marks in both disciplines, clearing 23-8.75 (7.23m) in the long jump and 46-1.5 (14.06m) in the triple jump. The sophomore from Norton, Kan. carries a GPA of 3.64 while studying health and human performance emphasizing in sport and exercise therapy.
 
McCormick ranked in the top 20 in the region in the pole vault both indoors and outdoors, clearing a season-best 15-7.75 (4.77m). The junior from Eudora, Kan. is majoring in health and human performance emphasizing in sport and exercise therapy. He holds a GPA of 3.75.
 
Salmans ranked in the top 50 in the region in the indoor heptathlon as well as the 60m hurdles, hitting the national qualifying threshold in the multi-event with a seven-event total of 5,056. The Montezuma, Kan. native graduated magna cum laude this spring with a degree in philosophy emphasizing in pre-theological studies. He completed his degree with a GPA of 3.87.