Western Carolina University's track and field teams celebrated major academic success with ten athletes recognized in the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District teams. Five men's athletes, including Colby Capps and Bennett Whitefield, and five women's athletes, such as Shaneil Lysight and Sadler Miller, showcased their outstanding academic and athletic performances. To qualify, athletes needed a 3.50 GPA and a top 50 regional ranking in their event. This season marks a record for WCU with ten selections, surpassing last year's seven, highlighting the team's consistent dedication to excellence in both academics and athletics.

By the Numbers
  • 10 athletes named to the CSC Academic All-District teams (5 men, 5 women).
  • 32 total selections from Western Carolina across the CSC Academic All-District teams since 2002.
State of Play
  • WCU has had at least four Academic All-District honorees for the last four seasons.
  • The team鈥檚 previous record was seven selections in 2023.
What's Next

Looking ahead, the track and field program aims to build on this academic success while improving competitive results in future seasons. Continuous recruitment of academically strong athletes will be critical for maintaining these high standards.

Bottom Line

The recognition of ten student-athletes underlines Western Carolina's commitment to balancing athletics with academics, setting a standard for future teams to aim for excellence both on the track and in the classroom.