University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: UNC NEWS SERVICES
11 Earn CSC Track & Field And Cross Country CSC Academic All-District Honors
June 23, 2026 | Cross Country, Track & Field, Academics
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Dedicated to excellence in the classroom and throughout competition, North Carolina placed 11 Tar Heels on the College Sports Communicators Track & Field and Cross Country Academic All-America All-District Team.
To make the team, athletes must have a top 50 regional ranking in a single event (indoor or outdoor) at the time of nomination, along with a minimum GPA of 3.50.
Will Coogan competed in various distance events this past outdoor season, ranking 41st nationally while majoring in biology.
Studying media and journalism: Ad & PR and communications, Maddie Gardiner competed in the women's 10,000m at the ACC Outdoor Championship and made her NCAA postseason debut running in the women's 10000m in the NCAA Division I East First Round.
A sophomore majoring in neuroscience, Maddy Kelley earned a massive PR at the ACC Outdoor Championships in pole vault to finish sixth overall and tie for second all-time at Carolina. She also competed in the event at the Division I East First Round.
Studying biology, Trevor Paschall competed in the men's 400m throughout the outdoor season and finished second at the ACC Outdoor Championships to earn a silver medal. He was also named one of Carolina's Top 10 Scholar-Athletes.
A member of the NCAA record-setting DMR squad at the Penn Relays, Makayla Paige earned the All-District nod while pursuing her Master's in Applied Professional Studies. She capped off her spring with the seventh fastest time in NCAA history in the women's 800m at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships to finish fourth overall in the event.
One of the top distance runners in Carolina history, Sands earned First Team All-America honors in the men's 5000m during the 2026 indoor season. He also took home the gold in the men's 5000m at the 2026 ACC Indoor Championships while working towards a Master's of Science in Management.
Another teammate of the record-breaking DMR time at the Penn Relays, Vera Sjoberg also earned Second Team All-America honors this spring in the women's 5000m. Earning her Master's in Applied Professional Studies, Sjoberg also came away with a bronze medal in the 10000m at the ACC Outdoor Championships.
Throwing in eight meets this spring, Adam Smith posted a top 10 Carolina mark in the discus at 55.02m. The graduate student earning his Master's in Applied Professional Studies made his UNC postseason debut at the Division I East First Round in the discus.
Max Stakun-Pickering opened his 2026 outdoor season with the second-best mark in the NCAA at the Liberty Kickoff in the men's decathlon, while also setting a PR in the high jump at the Dick Taylor Invitational.
Ranking third all-time at Carolina in the women's hammer throw, Kosi Umerah also competed for the Tar Heels at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor National Championships. Umerah balanced life as a student-athlete while working towards a degree in political science.
Another thrower, Spencer Young, tallied a top 10 mark at Carolina this past season, all while punching her ticket and competing at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Young is currently studying political science.
2026 CSC Track & Field/Cross Country Academic All-District Team
Will Coogan
Maddie Gardiner
Maddy Kelley
Makayla Paige
Trevor Paschall
Colton Sands
Vera Sjoberg
Adam Smith
Max Stakun-Pickering
Kosi Umerah
Spencer Young
To make the team, athletes must have a top 50 regional ranking in a single event (indoor or outdoor) at the time of nomination, along with a minimum GPA of 3.50.
Will Coogan competed in various distance events this past outdoor season, ranking 41st nationally while majoring in biology.
Studying media and journalism: Ad & PR and communications, Maddie Gardiner competed in the women's 10,000m at the ACC Outdoor Championship and made her NCAA postseason debut running in the women's 10000m in the NCAA Division I East First Round.
A sophomore majoring in neuroscience, Maddy Kelley earned a massive PR at the ACC Outdoor Championships in pole vault to finish sixth overall and tie for second all-time at Carolina. She also competed in the event at the Division I East First Round.
Studying biology, Trevor Paschall competed in the men's 400m throughout the outdoor season and finished second at the ACC Outdoor Championships to earn a silver medal. He was also named one of Carolina's Top 10 Scholar-Athletes.
A member of the NCAA record-setting DMR squad at the Penn Relays, Makayla Paige earned the All-District nod while pursuing her Master's in Applied Professional Studies. She capped off her spring with the seventh fastest time in NCAA history in the women's 800m at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships to finish fourth overall in the event.
One of the top distance runners in Carolina history, Sands earned First Team All-America honors in the men's 5000m during the 2026 indoor season. He also took home the gold in the men's 5000m at the 2026 ACC Indoor Championships while working towards a Master's of Science in Management.
Another teammate of the record-breaking DMR time at the Penn Relays, Vera Sjoberg also earned Second Team All-America honors this spring in the women's 5000m. Earning her Master's in Applied Professional Studies, Sjoberg also came away with a bronze medal in the 10000m at the ACC Outdoor Championships.
Throwing in eight meets this spring, Adam Smith posted a top 10 Carolina mark in the discus at 55.02m. The graduate student earning his Master's in Applied Professional Studies made his UNC postseason debut at the Division I East First Round in the discus.
Max Stakun-Pickering opened his 2026 outdoor season with the second-best mark in the NCAA at the Liberty Kickoff in the men's decathlon, while also setting a PR in the high jump at the Dick Taylor Invitational.
Ranking third all-time at Carolina in the women's hammer throw, Kosi Umerah also competed for the Tar Heels at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor National Championships. Umerah balanced life as a student-athlete while working towards a degree in political science.
Another thrower, Spencer Young, tallied a top 10 mark at Carolina this past season, all while punching her ticket and competing at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Young is currently studying political science.
2026 CSC Track & Field/Cross Country Academic All-District Team
Will Coogan
Maddie Gardiner
Maddy Kelley
Makayla Paige
Trevor Paschall
Colton Sands
Vera Sjoberg
Adam Smith
Max Stakun-Pickering
Kosi Umerah
Spencer Young
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Pole Vault
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Multi
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & FieldTuesday, June 23
Sunday, June 21
Sunday, June 21
Saturday, June 20