COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo track and field program continues to prove excellence isn't just measured on the track or in the ring—but in the classroom as well. On Thursday, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) unveiled its 2025 Academic All-RMAC teams, and the ThunderWolves were front and center with standout national champion and All-American Katherine Higgins leading the academic charge.

Higgins, a senior from Mead, Colorado, capped off a storybook season with a perfect 4.0 GPA while pursuing her master's in education. Already the holder of a bachelor's degree in middle school mathematics—also with a 4.0—Higgins dominated the field this spring, capturing the RMAC title, the NCAA Division II National Championship in the shot put, and delivering a personal-best throw of 16.38 meters at home in the Pueblo ring to capture her first National Title.

Her academic prowess was further recognized at Nationals as she earned the prestigious NCAA Elite 90 Award, presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA competing at the National Championships. Earlier this week, Higgins was also named the South Central Region Field Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Joining Higgins on the Academic All-RMAC First Team is junior Jadyn Herron, a 3.97 GPA student majoring in social work. The Queen Creek, Arizona, native also competed at Nationals in the 1,500-meter run after a strong season.

Another academic and athletic standout, Margot Thomas-Gatel, a fifth-year senior from France, posted a 3.99 GPA while working toward her master's in biology. The beloved distance runner concluded her CSU Pueblo career with a 6th-place finish at the National Championships in the steeplechase—earning First Team All-American honors and cementing her legacy as one of the most iconic ThunderWolves in program history.

In total, 10 women earned Academic Honor Roll recognition, including:

• Crystal Armijo – Senior, Nursing

• Helen Braybrook – Junior, Media & Entertainment

• Gabrielle Dunich – Junior, Nursing

• Jadyn Herron – Junior, Social Work

• Katherine Higgins – Senior, Education

• Olivia Mikaelian – Senior, Health Sciences

• Sarah Renberg – Junior, Psychology

• Mary Scoggins – Junior, Exercise Science

• Margot Thomas-Gatel – Graduate, Biology

• Jacelynn Trujillo – Senior, Marketing
   

On the men's side, CSU Pueblo also made a strong statement, with two student-athletes named to the Academic All-RMAC First Team:

• Tyrell Smith, senior sprinter from Colorado Springs and indoor All-American, posted a 3.86 GPA while completing his MBA.

• Jon Sweepe, sophomore distance runner from Peoria, Arizona, tallied a 3.83 GPA in construction management and earned All-American honors in the 1,500-meter run at Nationals.

An additional 12 men were named to the RMAC Academic Honor Roll, showcasing the depth of academic commitment across the program:

• Moosah Alsaffar – Sophomore, Accounting

• Tim Anstett – Sophomore, Pre-Business

• Kaleb Beloy – Senior, Construction Management

• Craig Brown – Senior, Business Management

• Felipe Castro Engel – Sophomore, Exercise Science

• Xavier Freeman – Junior, Construction Management

• Joseph Harker – Senior, Health Sciences

• Maverik Mertens – Junior, Business Management

• Lukas Moran – Senior, Business Management

• Luke Mummert – Senior, Exercise Science

• Tyrell Smith – Graduate, MBA

• Jon Sweepe – Sophomore, Construction Management

In total, CSU Pueblo had 24 track and field student-athletes honored for their academic achievements—an impressive testament to the program's commitment to excellence both on and off the field.