NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Christopher Newport star Katie Stevens was named the Virginia State Women's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year, while 10 other Captains also garnered statewide recognition from the Virginia Sports Information Directors on Thursday afternoon.

Leading the decorated contingent, Stevens was one of six standouts to secure first-team All-State accolades. On the women's side, Ellie Nuckols was a top pick in the heptathlon, and Sydney Trussell earned high honors in the sprints. Meanwhile, for the men, Latrell Fomby and Tyler Palmer were first-team picks in the throws, and Jahi Jemison shined in the decathlon.

Continuing to stockpile awards in the throwing events, Seth Morris, Colin Sliwa, and Daniel Young all received second-team accolades for the men. Additionally, Nuckols was a second-team pick in both the hurdles and jumps, Ashley Eley received recognition in the heptathlon and jumps, and Adalyn Perez rounded out the second-team honorees after excelling in the mid-distance disciplines.

Making history with her haul, Nuckols became just the fifth track & field athlete in Virginia history to earn three All-State citations during a single campaign. In that exclusive club, she joined former CNU legend Alyssa Roach, longtime Eastern Mennonite star Ray Ray Taylor, and Lynchburg standouts Aniya Seward and Micah Leech.

Piecing together one of the most decorated stretches in CNU history, Stevens was previously named the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Women's Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year while garnering a pair of All-American citations for her work in the spring. The senior star placed 16th at the national championships in the discus and hammer while ranking first in the South Region in both disciplines.

During the year, Stevens uncorked a season-best 45.41-meter heave in the discus at the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Championships before adding a 52.56-meter toss in the hammer at the Widener Final Qualifier. She also ranked second in Virginia in the shot put with a 12.59-meter missile at the league meet in May.

Stevens eventually won conference titles in the shot put, hammer, and discus and was named the league's Field Athlete of the Meet for that performance. A five-time All-American in her career, the Cary, North Carolina native finished her tenure with 18 total league crowns, marking the highest amount by any track & field athlete in conference history. She was also a 10-time All-Region selection and eight-time All-State pick over the past four years.

Flashing her versatility throughout her sophomore season, Nuckols dominated the competition in a variety of events in the spring. During the league championships, she swept the 100-hurdles and 400-hurdles while adding a second-team All-Conference honor in the long jump. For her work at the competition, she was named the league's Track Athlete of the Meet.

During her showcase at the conference championships, Nuckols posted a 5.65-meter effort in the long jump, which earned her All-Region accolades and marked the top distance in the state. The Chesterfield, Virginia native also collected All-South nods in the heptathlon after posting a score of 4,401 at the Mount Union Final Qualifier. That was the fifth-highest total in program history and the 34th-best mark in the NCAA in 2025.

After being named the Virginia Men's Indoor Field Athlete of the Year for his work in the winter, Fomby continued to shine in the spring. He picked up All-Region nods in the discus, hammer, and shot put after ranking in the top-five in the South in all three disciplines. A national qualifier in the discus, the Stuarts Draft, Virginia native led all throwers in the state with a 51.55-meter launch. He also slotted third in Virginia in the hammer (54.66 meters) and fifth in the shot put (15.19 meters).

Bursting onto the scene with a dynamite debut campaign, Jemison excelled in the decathlon throughout the spring. In the combined event, he posted a season-best score of 5,160 during the Mount Union Final Qualifier. That vaulted him to eighth on Christopher Newport's all-time performance list and marked the top showing by a Captain since 2021. The McLean, Virginia native also picked up All-Region accolades for that showing.

Punctuating his career as one of the top shot put specialists in school history, Palmer shined in the event throughout his senior season. During the conference championships, he took the title and set a new personal-best with a 16.33-meter heave. That was the second-longest throw in school history and the top mark in both the state and region. A five-time league champion, the Chesapeake, Virginia native also ranked 27th on the national charts in the shot put in 2025.

Lighting up the track during her senior campaign, Trussell polished off her tenure with one final award-winning season. Starring in the sprints, she ranked in the top-10 on the regional charts in both the 200 and 400 while earning All-Conference nods in the latter event. She set a new PR in the 200 at the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic after finishing in 24.94, which was the second-fastest time in the state. The Fauquier County, Virginia native also had the commonwealth's third-best mark in the 400 (57.49).

Orchestrating an award-winning sophomore season, Eley continued her success in the jumps and combined events during the 2025 campaign. In the heptathlon, she posted a score of 3,653 at the New Captains Classic, which earned her a spot on the All-Region squad. Meanwhile, the second-year standout bagged All-Conference certificates in the triple jump and high jump. She posted a season-best mark of 11.14 meters in the former event while eclipsing 1.58 meters in the latter discipline.

Excelling in a variety of throwing events, Morris was an All-League honoree in the hammer throw and an All-Region pick in the shot put. He uncorked a 15.70-meter effort in the shot put at the Blue & Silver Challenge, which placed him fourth on the all-time school charts and ranked 50th on the national leaderboard. Additionally, the Glen Allen, Virginia native set a new PR with a 49.64-meter heave in the hammer. That moved him to sixth in school history.

In her fourth year with the Captains, Perez continued her stellar work in the mid-distance events. At the Widener Final Qualifier, she punctuated her season with a time of 2:16.38 in the 800. That was the fifth-fastest time in school history and the top mark by a Captain in seven years. A former All-Conference performer in the DMR, the Stafford, Virginia native also established a new personal-best in the 1500 at the prestigious Colonial Relays after clocking in at 4:49.69.

Rewriting the record books in the hammer throw, Sliwa wrapped up his tenure by securing All-Conference, All-State, and All-Region accolades in the event. He snatched the league title in the hammer during the conference championships in May after setting a new PR with a 56.90-meter rocket at the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic in April. With that throw, the Annandale, Virginia native established a new school standard while vaulting to 35th on the national charts.

Dominant in the shot put throughout his junior season, Young won the league title in the event during the indoor campaign before hauling in All-Conference, All-State, and All-Region nods for his work in the spring. The Leesburg, Virginia native eventually ranked third in the South in the shot after uncorking a 15.56-meter toss at the league meet. That also moved him to sixth on Christopher Newport's all-time performance list.

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