Track & Field Teams, 18 Wildcats Earn National Academic Honors

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky men’s and women’s track & field teams were named All-Academic Teams for the 2021 season by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Eighteen individuals spanning both teams also earned All-Academic honors.

The women’s team had a cumulative GPA of 3.33 while the men’s team had a GPA of 3.055. In order to earn All-Academic honors from the USTFCCCA, a team must have a composite GPA of at least 3.0.

In addition, 12 women and six men earned All-Academic honors. In order to qualify for the individual honor, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.25 cumulative GPA and achieve one of the following athletic qualifications: 

• for the 2021 indoor season: must have finished the season ranked in the top 96 in any championship individual event, or in the top 48 in any championship relay event, or 

• for the 2021 outdoor season: must have participated in any round of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships (the Preliminary Championship Competition and/or the Final Championship Competition) or for the multi-events, must have finished the season ranked in the top 48 in the East or top 48 in the West. 

Women’s All-Academic Student-Athletes 

• Celera Barnes – Ventura, California, M.S. in Medical Sciences 

• Nicole Fautsch – Rochester, Minnesota, Business Administration 

• Jade Gates – St. Louis, Missouri, M.S. in Public Administration 

• Jenna Gearing – Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia, Professional and Technical Writing 

• Tori Herman – Hilton Head, South Carolina, Finance 

• Carly Hinkle – Winfield, West Virginia, Animal Sciences 

• Alexis Holmes – Hamden, Connecticut, Public Health 

• Darci Kahn – Stockbridge, Georgia, Digital Media Arts & Design 

• Molly Leppelmeier – McComb, Ohio, Computer Science 

• Bryanna Lucas – Louisville, Kentucky, Kinesiology 

• Megan Moss – Nassau, Bahamas, Human Health Sciences 

• Abby Steiner – Dublin, Ohio, Kinesiology 

Men’s All-Academic Student-Athletes 

• Jake Allen – Naperville, Illinois, Accounting and Finance 

• Joseph Jardine – Mohrsville, Pennsylvania, Marketing 

• Dalton Shepler – Vandalia, Ohio, Biology 

• Jacob Smith – Acworth, Georgia, Journalism 

• Josh Sobota – Knoxville, Tennessee, Business and Economics 

• Lincoln Young – Bozeman, Montana, Digital Media & Design 

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