FLORENCE, Ala. -- Recent University of North Alabama graduate
Kara Nix of Muscle Shoals, Ala., has been named to the 2021 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Division I Women's Track & Field / Cross Country Academic All-America® team.
Previously selected as one of just 11 student-athletes named to the 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-District team, Nix earned third-team Academic All-America® honors. She is one of just 33 total student-athletes nationwide selected for the Academic All-America® teams in women's track & field and cross country.
CoSIDA recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances in the competition realm and in the classroom.
The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
With her selection, Nix becomes UNA's 22nd student-athlete to earn Academic All-America® honors. She is just the second Lion, and the first female, to earn Academic All-America® honors on the Division I level.
A two-time ASUN Conference All-Academic selection, Nix graduated Summa Cum Laude from UNA in May with a perfect 4.00 grade-point average and a degree in industrial hygiene. She also was a recipient of the Keller Key, which is awarded at each commencement to graduating seniors who have achieved the highest scholastic standards while at UNA
A member of the Cole Honors College, she won the Martin Methodist Red Hawk Invitational at McFarland Park as the Lions placed first at the event. She was UNA's top runner in all four meets this season and placed 15th at the ASUN Women's Cross Country Championship.
She received ASUN All-Conference and All-Academic honors as a junior as well.
In the community, Nix volunteers her time at numerous events including Civic Day Clean Up, Canned Food Drive for UNA students, Backpacks for Children and reading at elementary schools.
Nix has twice been named to the ASUN Winners for Life team, which honors a campus citizen that is respected as one who shares and/or demonstrates the ASUN core values: education, honesty, student-athlete experience, fairness, health, ambition, respect, diversity, inclusion, leadership, responsibility and sportsmanship.
NCAA DIVISION I
CoSIDA Academic All-America® Team
FIRST TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Brittany Aveni Duke University Sr. 3.98 Biology
Ariane Ballner Oklahoma State University Gr. 4.00/4.00 Mass Comm. (G) / Management & Marketing (UG)
Carmela Cardama Baez University of Oregon Gr. 3.66/3.66 Prevention Science
Mercy Chelangat University of Alabama Jr. 3.67 Public Health
Kelsey Chmiel North Carolina State University Sr. 4.00 Animal Science
Tamara Clark University of Alabama Sr. 3.57 Public Health
Anna Cockrell University of Southern California Gr. 3.98/4.00 Public Policy (G) / Communications (UG)
Lisa Gunnarsson Louisiana State University Sr. 4.00 Mechanical Engineering
Shelby Gunnells North Dakota State University Gr. 4.00/4.00 Geology
Bethany Hasz University of Minnesota Gr. 3.96/4.00 Sport / Exercise Science
Alice Hill University of Michigan Sr. 4.00 Ecology, Evolution & Biodiversity / Neuroscience
Sage Hurta University of Colorado Sr. 3.98 Chemical & Biological Engineering
Daija Lampkin University of Alabama Sr. 4.00 Public Health / PreMed
Cailie Logue Iowa State University Sr. 4.00 Kinesiology
Katie Rainsberger University of Washington Sr. 3.97 Medical Anthropology & Global Health
Samantha Zelden University of Alabama Gr. 4.00/4.00 Kinesiology (G) / Exercise Science (UG)
SECOND TEAM
Bailey Ashmore University of North Texas Gr. 4.00/4.00 Materials Science & Engineering
Celera Barnes University of Kentucky Gr. 3.83/4.00 Medical Science (G) / Kinesiology (UG)
Emilie Berge University of South Alabama Gr. 3.98/4.00 Environmental Toxicology (G) / Biology (UG)
Nastassja Campbell University of Arkansas Jr. 4.00 Communication
Jessica Drop University of Georgia Sr. 3.90 Cellular Biology
Bria Matthews Georgia Tech Gr. 3.92/3.70 Electrical & Computer Engineering
Michaela Meyer University of Virginia Gr. 3.32/3.89 Nursing
Aaliyah Miller Baylor University Gr. 3.47/3.66 Sports Management
Maudie Skyring Florida State University Gr. 4.00/3.92 Marketing
Kaitlin Smith Houston Baptist University Gr. 4.00/4.00 Kinesiology-Sports Management
Abby Steiner University of Kentucky Jr. 3.79 Exercise Science (pre-physical therapy)
Rachel Tanczos University of Notre Dame Sr. 3.91 Psychology / Theology
TeeTee Terry University of Southern California Gr. 3.69/3.83 Entrepreneurship (G) / Communication (UG)
Jorinde van Klinken Arizona State University Gr. 3.92 Global Management
Sasha Wells Oral Roberts University Sr. 4.00 History
THIRD TEAM
McKenzie Altmayer Bradley University Gr. 3.96/4.00 English Creative Writing
Stephanie Cho Washington State University Sr. 4.00 Kinesiology
Laura Ehrenberger Duquesne University Sr. 4.00 Pharmacy
Riley Felts Charlotte Jr. 4.00 Civil Engineering
Haley Herberg University of Washington Jr. 3.54 Civil Engineering
Andrianna Jacobs University of Nebraska Sr. 4.00 Broadcasting / Journalism / Psychology
Abby Kohut-Jackson University of Minnesota Sr. 3.93 Spanish Studies
Val Larson University of Minnesota Gr. 3.89/4.00 Sport / Exercise Science
Sydney Laufenberg Illinois State University Gr. 3.57/4.00 Family & Consumer Sciences (G)
Molly Leppelmeier University of Kentucky Sr. 4.00 Computer Science
Emily Mackay Binghamton University Sr. 3.56 Psychology
Kara Nix University of North Alabama Sr. 4.00 Industrial Hygiene / Chemistry
Hannah Steelman North Carolina State University Sr. 3.74 Psychology
Ijeoma Uche Brown University Sr. 3.57 Public Health
Amira Young University of Minnesota Jr. 3.36 Kinesiology
