BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Twenty-seven total Gulf South Conference student-athletes, men and women, were named to the 2026 At-Large Academic All-District® Team as selected by College Sports Communicators. 

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: MEN | WOMEN

Of those selected, eight were chosen to advance to the At-Large Academic All-America® ballot. The women’s side was represented by UAH women’s lacrosse trio Sarah Cole, Ella Rutherford and Sydney Schiavone as well as West Florida golfers Millie Thompson and Isabela Urruchua. For the men, three golfers were named in Lee’s Drew Zielinski, Valdosta State’s Alexander Nilehn and West Florida’s Cooper Tendick.

Student-athletes with a cumulative 3.5 GPA or higher and satisfy other criteria are eligible to be nominated by members of the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA). Nominees recognized with Academic All-District® honors are then added to the national ballot which is voted on all College Sports Communicators members affiliated with a Division II school or conference.

The 2026 Women’s At-Large Academic All-America® honorees will be announced July 7, while men’s selections will be released on July 8.

2026 CSC Women At-Large Academic All-District Selections
UAH (3): Sarah Cole* (Lacrosse), Ella Rutherford* (Lacrosse), Sydney Schiavone* (Lacrosse)
AUM (2): Aubrie Medford (Golf), Ashley Nelson (Golf)
Lee (3): Stella Starosciak (Lacrosse), Lily Tomczik (Lacrosse), Savannah Weisman (Lacrosse)
Montevallo (6): Kate Cost (Golf), Francesca De Roover (Golf), Amber Lynch, (Lacrosse), Chloe Norman (Lacrosse), Ellery Shearer (Lacrosse), Claire Withingtion (Lacrosse)
Union (1): Abigail Fernandez (Golf)
Virginia State (1): Kayla Carroll-Williams (Lacrosse)
West Florida (2): Millie Thompson* (Golf), Isabela Urruchua* (Golf)

2026 CSC Men At-Large Academic All-District Selections
Lee (2): Caleb Tipton (Golf), Drew Zielinski* (Golf)
Montevallo (1): Bentley Van Pelt (Golf)
Valdosta State (3): Joshua Burki (Golf), William Carestam (Golf), Alexander Nilehn* (Golf)
West Florida (3): Eddie Lee (Golf), Max Page (Golf), Cooper Tendick* (Golf)

* selected to advance to the CSC Academic All-America national ballot