Four Wildcats Earn CoSIDA Academic All-America Honors

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Four members of the University of Kentucky track & field team have been named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America track & field and cross country team for their excellence in the classroom and on the track. 

On the women’s team, Celera Barnes and Abby Steiner were named second-team Academic All-Americans and Molly Leppelmeier was named to the third team. 

For the men, Josh Sobota was named to the Academic All-American second team. 

To achieve this award, a student-athlete must have a GPA of at least 3.30 and be a starter or important reserve on their team. 

CoSIDA Second-Team Academic All-Americans 

Celera Barnes – Gr., Ventura, California 

M.S. in Medical Sciences 

• Majored in kinesiology in undergrad with a 4.00 GPA, 3.83 GPA in graduate program 

• Placed eighth in the 100-meter dash at NCAA Championships with a wind assisted time of 11.31w (+2.2), named first team All-American  

• Part of eighth-ranked 4x400m relay team at NCAA Championships (3:28.68) and third-fastest in UK history, also a first team All-America performance 

Abby Steiner – Jr., Dublin, Ohio 

Kinesiology/Exercise Science (pre-physical therapy), Minor in Psychology 

• Has a 3.79 GPA in Exercise Science 

• NCAA indoor champion in the 200m dash  

• Won the gold medal in the 200m dash with a time of 22.38 seconds that tied the all-time NCAA indoor record (also 22.38 by Gabby Thomas of Harvard)  

• Tied the second-fastest indoor 200m in United States history 

• Broke the SEC record with 22.41 seconds in the SEC preliminary heat; followed with a gold medal in the finals at 22.50, setting up her NCAA championship performance 

Josh Sobota – Jr., Knoxville, Tennessee 

Marketing/Management 

• Has a 3.83 GPA in marketing/management 

• Earned fifth place in the shotput at NCAA Championships with a personal best and third-ranked put on UK’s all-time list, 65’0.5″/19.82m, along with first team All-America honors  

• Placed ninth in discus at NCAA Champiosnhips, 184’11″/56.36m, earning second-team All-America honors 

• Earned the bronze medal at the SEC Championships with a personal-best discus throw of 188’10″/57.55m that ranks No. 10 in school history 

CoSIDA Third-Team Academic All-American 

Molly Leppelmeier – Sr., McComb, Ohio 

Computer Science 

• Has a 4.00 GPA in computer science 

• Placed 18th in the hammer throw at NCAA Outdoor Championships, tying her own school record with an honorable mention All-America distance of 212’0″/64.62m 

• Scored points at the SEC Indoor Championships, finishing sixth in the shot put and seventh in the weight throw 

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