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2026 SoCon Academic All-SoCon Teams - FRONT

General Greg Hartlage, Director of Media Relations

Catamounts Post League-Best 121 on Academic All-SoCon Team

Spartanburg, S.C. – The conference office announced on Wednesday that a league-best 121 Western Carolina student-athletes were among 1,023 conference-wide to be named to the 2025-26 Academic All-Southern Conference Team.

Each of the SoCon's 10 full-member institutions had at least 50 honorees, with six schools totaling more than 100. The student-athletes honored represent men's and women's cross country, football, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field, baseball, men's and women's golf, rifle, men's and women's basketball, wrestling, softball, men's and women's tennis, and volleyball. 

To be eligible for the academic all-conference team, student-athletes must carry at least a 3.3 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) after the respective semester of their in-season sport and be required to compete in at least half of their team's competitions during the season. In addition, the student-athletes must have completed at least three semesters at their institutions, making true freshmen and first-year transfers ineligible for inclusion.

Across the conference, 72 student-athletes maintained a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA, with Western Carolina's Halley Tang (volleyball), Taylor Waitley (softball), Bennett Whitefield (track & field), and Hannah Kline (track & field) being WCU's four representatives.  

Western Carolina led the way with 121 combined student-athletes, including a league-high 83 for the spring semester. Wofford (118) was close behind in second, followed by Samford (116), ETSU (111), and Chattanooga (110).

Western Carolina women's track & field team led WCU with 33 honorees between the indoor and outdoor seasons, followed by 18 on the men's track & field team. Catamount women's soccer and softball had 13 student-athletes apiece on the squad. 

2025-26 Catamount Academic All-SoCon (by Sport):
Football (7)
Stephen Brantley
Evan Carney
Joshua Collins
Steven Hamby
David Hulbert
Micah Nelson
Julian Quintero
 
Volleyball (6)
Katie Boney
Courtney Graham
Peri Subat
Halley Tang
Eda Yalçinkaya
Zoe Zudans
 
Women's Soccer (13)
Isabella DeMarco
Madison Gellner
Sofia Goclowski
Mary Mueth
Rylie Niemeyer
Malia Roberts
Ava Robitaille
Emma Soucy
Milla Syska
Leanne Trudel
Gabriela Vatrano
Samantha Whitaker
Abbie Wise
 
Cross Country (12)
Noah Luke
Chase Thurber
Matthew Womack
Jessica Connole
Amaya Hicks
Katherine Hopkins
Hannah Kline
Grace Lane
Sydney Lowe
Avery Mays
Riley McKinney
Peyton Skoglund
 
Baseball (11)
Davis Budd
Kaden Fuller
Jackson Godfrey
Griffin Guinther
Jaylen Jones
John Lobs
Jackson Lyda
Cam Murray
Brody Raleigh
Wyatt Stanley
Trent Turner
 
Men's Basketball (2)
Marcus Kell
Cord Stansberry
 
Women's Basketball (1)
Grace Pack
 
Men's Golf (2)
Jace Butcher
Andrew Korytoski
 
Women's Golf (2)
Annalee Caveney
Sadler Miller
 
Softball (13)
AG Batson
Lily Bell
Rylee Butler
Sydney Dirks
Amanda Fulton
Ava Giglio
Courtney Marks
Tatum Martin
Maya McPherson
Riley Pennington
Tate Stewman 
Taylor Waitley
Becka Wonsick
 
Women's Tennis (1)
Hokualohi Lui
 
Men's Indoor Track & Field (7)
Dakota Braucher
Colby Capps
Austin Cline
Ethan Hibberts
Christian Roberts
Bennett Whitefield
Trevor Williams
 
Men's Outdoor Track and Field (11) 
Dakota Braucher
Colby Capps
Austin Cline
Spencer Dube
Ethan Hibberts
Jackson Livingston
Christian Roberts
Chase Thurber
Bennett Whitefield
Trevor Williams
Matthew Womack
 
Women's Indoor Track and Field (15)
Leah Butler
Jessica Connole
Lexie Durban
Emmie Finley
Jasmine Greene
Amaya Hicks
Bella Hilleary
Katherine Hopkins
Sydney Lowe
Shaneil Lysight
Sadler Miller
Toria Roundtree
Millie Simmons
Peyton Skoglund
Raelyn Vadala
 
Women's Outdoor Track and Field (18)
Leah Butler
Lexie Durban
Emmie Finley
Jasmine Greene
Amaya Hicks
Bella Hilleary
Katherine Hopkins
Hannah Kline
Sydney Lowe
Shaneil Lysight
Sadler Miller
Toria Roundtree
Millie Simmons
Peyton Skoglund
Raelyn Vadala
Braelyn-Shea Wahy
Marissa Watts
Miranda Watts
 
Keep track of everything related to Catamount Athletics through our social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@Catamounts).  
 
 
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Players Mentioned

AG Batson

#35 AG Batson

P/UTL
5' 10"
Freshman
R/R
Courtney Graham

#5 Courtney Graham

MB
6' 1"
Sophomore
Eda Yalçinkaya

#20 Eda Yalçinkaya

L
5' 4"
Junior
Stephen Brantley

#95 Stephen Brantley

P
6' 2"
Junior
Evan Carney

#78 Evan Carney

OL
6' 5"
Redshirt Sophomore
David Hulbert

#85 David Hulbert

TE
6' 4"
Redshirt Sophomore
Micah Nelson

#2 Micah Nelson

DE
6' 3"
Fifth Year
Marcus Kell

#23 Marcus Kell

F
6' 8"
Redshirt Junior
Cord Stansberry

#0 Cord Stansberry

G
6' 4"
Redshirt Junior
Grace Pack

#33 Grace Pack

C
6' 2"
Senior
Isabella DeMarco

#29 Isabella DeMarco

F
5' 6"
Senior
Sofia Goclowski

#8 Sofia Goclowski

F/MF
5' 6"
Junior

Players Mentioned

AG Batson

#35 AG Batson

5' 10"
Freshman
R/R
P/UTL
Courtney Graham

#5 Courtney Graham

6' 1"
Sophomore
MB
Eda Yalçinkaya

#20 Eda Yalçinkaya

5' 4"
Junior
L
Stephen Brantley

#95 Stephen Brantley

6' 2"
Junior
P
Evan Carney

#78 Evan Carney

6' 5"
Redshirt Sophomore
OL
David Hulbert

#85 David Hulbert

6' 4"
Redshirt Sophomore
TE
Micah Nelson

#2 Micah Nelson

6' 3"
Fifth Year
DE
Marcus Kell

#23 Marcus Kell

6' 8"
Redshirt Junior
F
Cord Stansberry

#0 Cord Stansberry

6' 4"
Redshirt Junior
G
Grace Pack

#33 Grace Pack

6' 2"
Senior
C
Isabella DeMarco

#29 Isabella DeMarco

5' 6"
Senior
F
Sofia Goclowski

#8 Sofia Goclowski

5' 6"
Junior
F/MF