Taylor Women Lead NAIA with a Trio of CSC Academic All-Americans

CSC Release | TU Honors Page

AUSTIN, Texas – The College Sports Communicators (CSC) announced its 2024 Women's Cross Country and Track and Field Academic All-American award-winners recently, with Taylor leading the NAIA with a trio of selections.

The trio of Trojans each received the honor for the first time in their collegiate careers. Noel VanderWall was named a CSC First Team Academic All-American and was joined by Audrey Brinkruff and Abby Mays, both of whom were on the CSC Academic All-American Second Team.

The NAIA had 20 CSC Academic All-Americans, leaving Taylor with an astounding 15 percent of the total award winners. The Crossroads League had a total of seven on the list, with Taylor accounting for almost half. 

VanderWall earned a spot on the first team after posting an incredible 3.97 GPA throughout her two years in her elementary education major. The sensational sophomore had an outstanding athletic year for the Trojans, collecting five NAIA All-American Honors. The standout sophomore was an NAIA All-American in every season she competed in, one in cross country and a pair during both indoor and outdoor track and field. To begin her sophomore athletic year, VanderWall helped TU cross country to a fifth-place finish at NAIA Nationals. VanderWall finished third in the mile in the indoor campaign while setting the program record in the event. The sophomore also set a TU record in the 1,500-meters in the outdoor season while being on the amazing distance medley relay team, which set a Taylor record.

Brinkruff has earned a 3.87 GPA throughout her three years studying biology. The junior capped a terrific indoor track season with NAIA All-American honors in the 5,000-meters and was a three-time All-Crossroads League athlete, along with collecting two Crossroads League Runner-of-the-Week awards. Brinkruff was named the USTFCCCA Athlete of the Week in the second week of the cross country season after winning the Ray Bullock Invite.

Mays collected the second team award with a perfect 4.00 GPA throughout her psychology classes. Mays came in and contributed to outstanding indoor and outdoor track and field seasons for the Trojans in her first year at TU. The mid-distance specialist collected a pair of NAIA All-American Honors one during each season including helping set a new program record in the distance medley relay.  

Taylor student-athletes have now combined for 139 CSC Academic All-American honors in school history, with 137 of those awards coming since 2010. The trio of selections brings TU's women's cross country and track all-time total of CSC Academic All-American awards to 24, with nine of those being First-Team accolades. The honors also push Taylor's total CSC Academic All-Americas to six in the 2023-24 year.

The 2024 Academic All-American women's track & field and cross country teams, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their performances on the track, in the field, and the classroom. To be considered for the award, student-athletes must hold a minimum 3.50 GPA, achieve at least sophomore academic status, and reach certain performance thresholds in their respective track events or cross country races.