KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Truman State track & field and cross country student-athletes once again showcased their excellence in the classroom and in competition, as twelve Bulldogs were named to the 2026 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Cross Country/Track & Field Teams.
Six men and six women earned the honor, which recognizes student-athletes for both academic success and high-level athletic performance. Nominees must maintain strong grade point averages while ranking among the top competitors in their respective regions.
Men's Honorees
The men's group was highlighted by standout multi-event performer Hayden Long, who delivered one of the most impressive seasons in the region. Long ranked second in the Midwest and 17th nationally in the decathlon with 6,871 points, while also posting regional top-50 marks in four additional events: high jump (1.87m), pole vault (4.05m), discus (44.63m), and javelin (56.10m), where he placed 10th in the region.
Aidan Hayes turned in an elite performance in the javelin, finishing second in the Midwest Region and 47th nationally with a throw of 61.43 meters.
Tyler Davis earned his recognition with a strong showing in the shot put, ranking 23rd in the region at 15.65 meters.
In distance events, Nolan Meara posted a top-20 regional finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, clocking a time of 9:21.80.
Max McMullin cleared 2.00 meters in the high jump to rank 18th in the region, while Nicholas Fuess added depth in the multi-events with a regional mark in the decathlon (4,944 points).
Women's Honorees
The women's team was equally well represented, led by a strong group of distance and middle-distance runners.
Raina Baker posted a regional qualifying time of 2:14.89 in the 800-meter run, finishing 22nd in the Midwest.
Phoebe Canatsey made her mark in two events, ranking 19th regionally in the 1,500 meters (4:36.90) while also securing a top-50 finish in the 800 meters (2:17.77).
In the steeplechase, McKenna Ledgerwood turned in a regional top-50 performance with a time of 11:51.37.
Distance runners Breanna Mathes and Ellie Webb each earned recognition in the 10,000-meter run, finishing 39th (38:46.57) and 50th (40:05.93) in the region, respectively.
Rounding out the women's honorees, Esme AuBuchon posted a 1.54-meter clearance in the high jump to rank among the region's top 50 performers.
This wraps up the Academic All-District awards season with the Bulldogs earning more than 50 nominations, department wide over the course of the 2025-26 seasons.
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