June 23, 2026
MADISON, S.D. – The 2025-26 Academic All-District® Women's Cross Country and Track & Field teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes women's basketball honorees in four divisions – NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA.
Six Dakota State women's cross country/track & field athletes received honors from CSC Tuesday afternoon. The criteria to the CSC Academic honor would need to have a minimum 3.50 cumulative grade point average (GPA), be at least a sophomore academically, and be a significant contributor (starter/important reserve) in their sport, with specific participation minimums like 90 percent of the contests.
These criteria recognize student-athletes excelling in both academics and athletes, with nominations submitted by institutional members of CSC.
The recipients for Dakota State include (name – track/field events – year – hometown – major):
- Casey Olson – multis – senior – Fergus Falls, Minn. – professional accountancy
- Oliviyah Thornton – throws – junior – Garretson, S.D. – cyber leadership/intelligence
- Amelie Steins – sprints/jumps/multis – junior – Dusseldorf, Germany – integrated biology
- Valerija Curikova – cross country/distance – junior – Riga, Latvia – cyber operations
- Lindsey Roth – cross country/mid-distance – senior – Parkston, S.D. – elementary education
- Brooke Beaucaire – cross country/distance – senior – Beaumont, Calif. – cyber leadership/intelligence
Olson, Thornton, Steins, Curikova, and Roth advanced to the CSC national ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced July 15.
