Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Associate Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5302

CSC Academic All-District List
 
June 23, 2026 – The North Central College women's cross country and track and field teams landed six student-athletes on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District list for their combined achievements in the classroom and in athletics. Gwen Berenyi, Elianna Keyes, Alivia Henkel, Cali Minkie, Ciré Smith, and Lily Anderson each earned the distinction.
 
To be eligible, nominees must have achieved at least sophomore athletic and academic standing, maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.50, and finish in the top 50 at their regional cross country championship or be ranked in the top 50 in an individual track & field event indoors or outdoors.
 
Berenyi, a management major, earns the second All-District honor of her career following a season that saw her sweep the indoor and outdoor pole vault titles at the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Championships. Berenyi qualified for the indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships during her senior campaign and was named a United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Second Team All-American after placing 13th overall at the outdoor national meet.
 
Keyes earns her first All-District selection while majoring in psychology. Keyes competed at both the indoor and outdoor CCIW Championships and was a four-time All-CCIW recipient at this year's outdoor conference meet. Keyes finished seventh in the triple jump and earned a pair of eighth-place finishes in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. She also ran on North Central's third-place 4-by-100m relay.
 
Henkel, a champion on the track and in the classroom, picks up her first All-District nod as an applied chemistry student. Henkel was crowned the NCAA Champion in the 400m hurdles at last month's outdoor national meet, running a school-record time of 58.65 seconds. Henkel is a CCIW champion in the 400m hurdles and the outdoor 4x400m relay. She also earned all-conference honors in the indoor 200m, 400m, 4-by-400m relay, and the outdoor 4-by-100m relay.
 
Minkie, a sociology and psychology double major, claims her first All-District award following a strong season that saw her add seven more All-CCIW honors to her resume. Minkie also ran on the winning outdoor 4-by-400m relay and picked up runner-up finishes in the indoor 400m and 4-by-400m relay, and the distance medley relay. She finished fourth in the indoor 200m and in the outdoor 400m and added a third-place finish in the 4-by-100m relay outdoors.
 
Smith also earns the first All-District recognition of her career as a marketing and sport management major. Smith was also a part of the winning outdoor 4-by-400m relay as well as the runner-up 4-by-400m relay and distance medley relays. Individually, Smith finished third in the 800m indoors before placing fifth outdoors at the same distance.
 
Anderson earns the distinction for the first time after her efforts in both cross country and track and field. The psychology major earned Second Team All-CCIW honors in cross country after placing 11th at the conference meet. She also earned All-CCIW status in track and field with a third-place finish in the 10k.
 
Berenyi and Henkel advanced to the Academic All-America ballot, with honorees set to be announced on Wednesday, July 15.