BREVARD, N.C. – A program-best five student-athletes from the Brevard College Cross Country and Track & Field teams have been named 2022-23 Academic All-District performers, selected by College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA).  Brevard College Cross Country and Track & Field student-athletes Channing Barker, Hannah Hersh, Haylea-Layne Miller, Isabell Musser, and Grace Pukas were all named to the Academic All-District team for the 2022-23 season.  All five Tornados now advance to the ballot for the 2022-23 CSC Academic All- America team.

The Academic All-District team is part of the Academic All-America program that has been honoring outstanding academic and athletic achievement by student-athletes throughout the landscape of college sports since 1952.  The CSC Academic All-America Cross Country/Track & Field teams will be announced later in June.

Barker is a rising senior from Dunlap, Tennessee who is majoring in Environmental Science.  On the track in 2023, Barker was named Second Team All-Conference after placing second in the women’s 800 meters at the USA South Conference Track & Field Championships.  A dual-sport athlete, Barker was also named to the Women’s Soccer CSC Academic All-District in the Fall of 2022.

Hersh, a rising junior, is a Health Science major at Brevard College who competed with strong results in four of BC’s six cross country events in the Fall of 2022.  A dual-sport athlete, Hersh was a First Team All-Conference and a CSC Academic All-District selection in Women’s Tennis.  

Miller, a rising junior from Chapin, South Carolina who is majoring in Exercise Science.  Competing in both Cross Country and Track & Field, Miller succeeded in both distance and hurdles in 2022-23.  She finished 26th at the USA South Conference Cross Country Championships to cap off a strong cross country season in the Fall.  At the USA South Conference Track & Field Championships, Miller placed third in both the 100 and 400 hurdles to earn Third Team All-Conference honors.

A rising senior from Brevard, North Carolina, Musser is a Biology major at Brevard College after transferring from UNC Asheville.  A prolific thrower for the Tornados, Musser finished second in the Discus at the conference championships and was named Second Team All-Conference in 2023.

Pukas graduated this month Summa Cum Laude from the Honors Program at Brevard College with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science.  In addition to her excellence in the classroom, Pukas, a native of Valrico, Florida, was a strong thrower for the Tornados throughout her career and competed in five of six meets in 2023.  Named to the USA South Conference Track & Field All-Sportsmanship Team, Pukas additionally competed on the BC Volleyball Team where she was also a CSC Academic All-District performer.

The 2022-23 Academic All-District teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

The Division II and III CSC Academic All-America programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2022-23 Divisions II and III Academic All-America programs. The NAIA CSC Academic All-America program is partially financially supported through the NAIA national office.

For more information about the CSC Academic All-District and Academic All-America Teams program, visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.

To follow the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, follow the Tornados on Twitter and Instagram @bctornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados' on YouTube, and follow 'Brevard College Athletics' on Facebook. In addition, follow 'brevardcollege' on Flickr for photos from Brevard College events.

-BC-