GREENWOOD, Ind. - Fort Hays State's Emily Diercks McCullough added another distinguished honor to her mantle Wednesday (July 15) when she was named a 2025-26 CSC Academic All-American. The senior is a third team selection on the NCAA Division II Women's Track & Field/Cross Country list for a second year in a row. The Academic All-America Team is voted on by members of College Sports Communicators nationwide, which reflects both academic and athletic accomplishments of the individuals selected.
 
McCullough is one of just seven Division II women to earn Academic All-America status in addition to picking up All-American honors in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field.
 
Her tremendous senior season began in the fall when she entered the NCAA Division II Cross Country championships undefeated against DII competition, picking up her second-straight MIAA conference title and winning the Central Region championship. The Hoxie, Kan. native later finished 12th at the national championships, the best finish at the national meet for a Tiger. Her season-long performance earned her USTFCCCA Women's Cross Country Region Athlete of the Year honors.
 
She went on to earn All-American and All-MIAA honors indoors in the 5,000m, finishing second at the league meet and 12th at the Indoor National Championships, before capping off the year with an MIAA title and a fourth-place finish at the Outdoor National Championships in the 10,000m.
 
McCullough finished her two-year career at FHSU with four All-American honors, seven All-MIAA recognitions, three MIAA titles, seven All-Region honors, one Regional Athlete of the Year award and four school records.
 
Academically, Diercks was one of five finalists for the 2025-26 MIAA Ken B. Jones Award, given to the top student-athlete conference-wide. She earned the MIAA Scholar-Athlete in all three sports, doing so for the second year in a row in addition to earning a spot on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll for all three. She graduated this spring magna cum laude with a degree in Health and Human Performance, finishing with a 3.85 GPA.
 
This is the 83rd Academic All-America honor for a Tiger all-time and the fifth this year (Tadhg Walsh and Elias Ovelar Semeniuk - men's soccer, Josh Shaw - football, Cooper Scheck - men's golf). McCullough is just the 19th Tiger to earn the distinction multiple times. The women's track and field team now has 13 Academic All-Americans in its history, second-most at FHSU.

2025-26 Academic All-America Team - Women's Track & Field/Cross Country - NCAA Division II

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	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	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	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	Mechanical Engineering
Isabella Davie	Emporia State University	So.	4	Health & Human
Alaina Diaz	Grand Valley State University	Sr.	3.53	Educational Studies
Lexie Fontaine	Washburn University	Sr.	3.9	Health Services Administration
Denise Hernandez	Lewis University	Sr.	3.57/4.00	Organizational Communication
Elise Knight	Ouachita Baptist University	Sr.	4	Biophysics & Professional Chemistry
Allison Kuzma	Hillsdale College	So.	3.58	Exercise Science
Amber Lawless (3)	Wingate University	Sr.	4	Elementary Education
Sydney Morris	Missouri S&T	So.	4	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	Management
Lauren Wallace	Mississippi College	Sr.	4	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	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	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 Diercks McCullough (3)	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