NEW ORLEANS, La. - The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its 204-25 All-Academic Athletes and All-Academic Teams. The Bethany College women's Track and Field team was one of those teams honored by the USTFCCCA, being led by All-Academic Athlete Alexis Mahaffey '25.

For Mahaffey to qualify as an All-Academic Athlete, she had to hold a GPA over a 3.30 while finishing the season top 50 in at least one event. Mahaffey finished the year with a best throw of 50.47 meters. That throw broke the Bethany College record while cementing her in the top 25 at that point in the season.

"Alexis embodies what it truly means to be a student-athlete. She's not only a competitor on the field but also a leader in the classroom," said Head Coach Jordan Johnson. "Being named a USTFCCCA All-Academic Athlete reflects her consistency, discipline, and the standard she sets for herself and her teammates every day."

That consistency and discipline resulted in an indoor Presidents Athletic Conference Indoor Championship in the weight throw. That success carried over into the spring where Mahaffey earned a spot on the Outdoor PAC Championships podium for her toss in the discus. It is worth noting that the PAC does not sponsor the Hammer Throw, which is Mahaffey's best event.

The now-alumni's hard work has been noticed by the entire Bethany community. Athletic Director Jen Windmiller notes Mahaffey as a leader on campus in both academics and athletics.

"Alexis Mahaffey exemplifies the true spirit of a scholar-athlete by balancing academic excellence with an unwavering dedication to athletic success," said Windmiller. "Her work ethic and determination in both arenas have helped us raise our department's standards."

Those standards were embraced by the rest of the team. The women's squad was in the top 20% of the entirety of Division III for team GPA. Bethany finished with a 3.61 for the spring semester.

Each team that qualified must have a cumulative team GPA of 3.1 on a 4.0 scale through the most recent semester/quarter. That number is not an average of all singular athlete GPAs, but calculated between individual classes. Each athlete that used a year of eligibility will have their spring credit hours and grades entered into the team pool to be calculated on a 4.0 scale.

"Our women's team shows that excellence isn't only about what happens on the track and field," said Johnson. "Being ranked 60th in the nation for team GPA is a testament to their dedication and commitment in the classroom."

The women's team made waves at the PAC Outdoor Championships, out-performing their times and rankings to earn five medals. The team's 3.61 GPA tied softball for the highest team GPA among all spring sports, a number that Windmiller is proud of.

"Our women's track and field team is pursuing excellence, and this year, they showed us what a driven mindset looks like when it extends beyond the track and into the classroom. Their academic achievements reflect a culture of discipline and pride that we love to highlight here at Bethany."

The Bison will sport a full cross country team entering the fall, with their first invitational being August 29th.