Women's Track & Field 6/24/2025 12:00:00 PM

Christopher Newport Places 10 Captains on CSC Academic All-District Track & Field and Cross Country Team

GREENWOOD, Ind. -- Stockpiling awards for their work both in and out of the classroom, 10 members of the Christopher Newport track & field and cross country programs were named to the Academic All-District Team, which was announced by the College Sports Communicators on Tuesday afternoon.

Headlining the group, Katie Stevens, Luke Tompkins, and Daniel Young received the recognition for the second straight year. Meanwhile, Sarah Dake, Rylee Ehrett, Kevin Farnsworth, Elizabeth Lacombe, John Laser, Kayla Lopez, and Seth Morris were all celebrated for the first time.

The 10 selections marked the highest total in school history, topping the eight award-winners during the 2022-23 campaign.

In order to be eligible for the honor, student-athletes must have at least a 3.50 cumulative GPA while ranking in the top-50 in the region in at least one individual event.

Founded in 1952, the CSC (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-American program recognizes standouts from all sports across all divisions of the NCAA. There are over 20,000 total nominations every year with fewer than 10 percent of those student-athletes receiving the nation's highest academic honor.

A first-team All-Conference performer in cross country, Dake vaulted to 31st on the program's all-time 6k performance list with a time of 23:46.4 at the league championships. Later, she went on to finish 40th at the NCAA South Regionals while earning a spot on the USTFCCCA National All-Academic Team. A kinesiology major, she also made history as a member of the track & field squad while moving into the top-five on the school's all-time charts in the indoor 3000 (10:22.14) and 5000 (18:19.48) as well as the outdoor 10,000 (39:13.77).

One of the top throwers in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, Ehrett secured a pair of second-team All-League citations for her work during the year. In her second season with the Captains, she was the runner-up at the conference championships in both the weight throw and hammer. She also jumped to fourth on the program's all-time charts with her work in both events. The political science major set a new PR in the hammer with a 44.97-meter launch at the Widener Final Qualifier after establishing a personal-best in the weight throw with a 14.30-meter heave at the CNU Qualifier.

As a member of the cross country team in the fall, Farnsworth placed 32nd at the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Championships in the 8k. He also established a new PR over that distance at the Rowan Inter-Regional Border Battle with a 27:04.4 clocking in October. Later, on the track, he scored in a pair of events at the C2C Championships. During the winter, the computer science major helped lead the Distance Medley Relay to a fourth-place finish at the conference meet before adding a sixth-place effort in the 800 at the outdoor championships in the spring.

Establishing herself as one of the top pole vaulters in the conference, Lacombe excelled in the event throughout her second year in Newport News. During her sophomore season, she placed third at the C2C Indoor Championships after clearing 2.89 meters. Months later, she came back with a fourth-place mark at the outdoor league meet with a 2.88-meter showcase. Along with her work at the conference competitions, the criminology major also set a new personal-best in the event with a 2.98-meter effort at the CNU Qualifier in March.

Making his mark in the sprints, Laser was regionally-ranked in the indoor 400 after throwing down a time of 51.94 at the Betty S. Rogers Invitational in February. He also placed ninth in the event at the C2C Outdoor Championships and posted eight total top-five finishes during the year. Meanwhile, the finance major was equally impressive as a member of Christopher Newport's top relay units. He helped lead the 4x100-relay to a third-place finish at the outdoor league meet after guiding the 4x400-crew to a fourth-place showing at the winter competition.

Starring throughout the year, Lopez made a pair of historic appearances with the cross country team in the fall. The second-year speedster moved to 45th in program history in the 6k after finishing in 23:51.5 at the CNU Invitational. She also collected the school's fourth-fastest 4k mark with a 15:23.3 clocking at the Spider Alumni Open. Then, on the track, the accounting major posted three top-10 finishes at the C2C Championships, while she jumped to ninth on the program's all-time charts in the outdoor 10,000 with a time of 39:43.76 at the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic.

One of the region's top throwers, Morris hauled in All-South accolades and was a second-team All-State selection in both the indoor and outdoor shot put during his sophomore season. He also ranked in the top-50 nationally in the event during the winter and spring, while his personal-best mark of 15.85 meters at the Holiday Open was the second-longest toss in school history. Along with his award-winning work in the shot put, the finance major also secured All-League nods in the hammer after placing second at the C2C Championships with a 49.64-meter distance.

Capping off one of the most decorated careers in program history, Stevens was a second-team All-American in the weight throw, discus, and hammer during her senior campaign. The fourth-year phenom eventually placed 16th at the NCAA Championships in all three events while winning five total conference titles during the season. A communications major, she was also named the C2C Women's Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year and established a new school record in the weight throw with a 17.80-meter toss at the South Region Final Qualifier.

Piecing together an award-winning fall campaign with the cross country team, Tompkins picked up first-team All-Conference accolades after finishing seventh at the league meet with a time of 26:06.2 in the 8k. He also established a personal-best with a 26:00.6 clocking at the Rowan Inter-Regional Border Battle. Later, as a member of the track & field team, the accounting major posted three top-10 finishes at the C2C Championships, including a seventh-place performance in the 1500 at the outdoor meet. He also set a PR in the mile with a 4:25.20 mark at the CNU Qualifier.

Earning universal praise for his work in the shot put, Young picked up All-Conference and All-Region plaudits in both the indoor and outdoor events while bringing home All-State nods during the spring campaign. The junior juggernaut eventually won the league championship in the winter with a 15.55-meter heave before placing second at the outdoor competition with a 15.56-meter showcase. An accounting major, he also had a season-best throw of 15.77 meters at the South Region Final Qualifier, which ranked third in school history and 47th on the national charts in 2025.

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