CLEVELAND – Cal State San Marcos Athletics had 99 student-athletes earn the Division 2 Athletics Directors Association (D2 ADA) Academic Achievement Award for the 2025-26 academic year.

The Academic Achievement Award, in its 19th year, is a program that recognizes the academic accomplishments of student-athletes at the Division II level in NCAA-sponsored sports.
 
In order for a student-athlete to receive an Academic Achievement Award, the director of athletics at each Division II institution must be a current dues-paying member of the D2 ADA.

Also, the student-athlete must:
• Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
• Have attended a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college-level work.
• Have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year.
 
Overall, a total of 21,000-plus student-athletes were recognized from 179 institutions for the 2025-26 Academic Achievement Awards. Historically, 211,256 total student-athletes have been recognized since the inception of the awards program.

"In year 19, this program continues its dedication to celebrating the exceptional student-athletes who define excellence across our Division II landscape," said Jenn Bell, associate VP and director of athletics at Converse University and current D2 ADA President. "We're proud to recognize more than 21,000 deserving student-athletes from 179 institutions, reflecting the tremendous dedication within our division — not only in athletics, but in the classroom as well. This year's submissions, from both individuals and schools, serve as a testament to the Division II way. Thanks to the administrators who nominated these outstanding individuals, and much- deserved congratulations to all this year's recipients."

The D2 ADA is the first organization of its kind to provide educational and networking opportunities; enhancement of acceptable operating standards and ethics; and establishment of the overall prestige and understanding of the profession of Division II athletics directors. The D2 ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 62nd year.

2025-26 CSUSM D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award Recipients

Baseball: Mason Ali, Jack Clark, Leighton Helfrick, Luke Higgins, Trevor Morgan, Christopher Tampoya, Collin Taylor, PJ Wendler

Men's Basketball: Aaron Ragen, Remington Rofer, Dexter Stratton, Max Tengan

Men's Cross Country: Owen Hinz, Renton McGregor, Chas O'Bear, Jayson Oliver

Men's Golf: Aaron Arch, Liam Weaver

Men's Soccer: Tilo Andac, Jacob Arellano, Brooklyn Baker, Oli Barrosa, Justin Carreon, Tony Flores, Parker Patterson, David Ruiz, Daniel Schembri

Men's Track & Field: Henry Baxter, Solomon German, Owen Hinz, Ivan Huerta, Renton McGregor, Adam Moe, Chas O'Bear, Jayson Oliver

Women's Basketball: Maddie Leiva, Lyric Richardson, Kacie Slover

Women's Cross Country: Carmella Baldwin, Kennadi Cauley, Tamara Cornejo, Angela McManus, Emily Mendoza, Chloe Quezada, Kayla Wrathall

Women's Golf: Hannah Anderson, Avery Foster

Softball: Rae D'Amato, Lauren Deplitch, Jordan Hill, Marissa Morales, Alizabeth Ruiz, Hannah Tandy

Women's Soccer: Brittany Brown, Emma Calvillo, Madi Carreon, Lily Jensen, Nani Kia'aina, Kayla Knoob, Addison Leite, Charlotte Leite, Emily Mahmoud, Diana Mendoza, Danielle Paulson, Natalie Paulson, Mylee Sturkey, Kendall Swist, Isabelle Walsh

Women's Track & Field: Carmella Baldwin, Rayna Bush, Taylor Cartwright, Kennadi Cauley, Kristin Cole, Tamara Cornejo, Madison Culuko, Taylor Gomez, Dana Hasan, Kyla Jones, Frayda Lemas, Angela McManus, Emily Mendoza, Lauren Meredith, Kiarah Palacio, Chloe Quezada, Aliyah Ratcliffe, Rachel Reynolds, Autumn Shomaker, Emma Steele, Kayla Wrathall

Volleyball: Rachel Blankenship, Annika Blas-Cedeno, Eleanor Brislen, Makalin Goehring, Shelby Jackson, Addison Kranz, Izabella Santa Cruz, Nelia Trower

 

California Collegiate Athletic Association	570
Cal State San Marcos	99
Cal Poly Pomona	84
Cal State Monterey Bay	84
Cal State Dominguez Hills	67
San Francisco State	65
Stanislaus State	63
Cal State LA	56
UC Merced	52