Northwest Missouri State University's Caroline Cunningham and Kaylee Harp highlight the 2022-23 Academic All-America® women's track & field/cross country teams selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC).
 
Cunningham landed first-team status, while Harp was named to the second team. Cunningham and Harp are the 11th and 12th Bearcat track & field/cross country members to gain Academic All-America honors in the program's history.
 
Cunningham, a graduate student originally from Cedar Falls, Iowa, produced a 4.00 GPA in her master's program of therapeutic recreation. Cunningham captured the 2022 MIAA women's cross country individual title in the fall. She was crowned the 3,000-meter steeplechase MIAA champion in the spring. She gained a pair of All-America honors in track & field with a ninth-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the outdoor meet and a 12th-place finish in the distance medley relay at the 2023 NCAA indoor national championships.
 
Harp, a sophomore from Harrisonville, Mo., has posted a 4.00 GPA in mathematics and data science. Harp capped a tremendous track and field season with a national championship in the 4x400-meter relay at the 2023 NCAA outdoor meet. She gained a seventh-place NCAA finish 800-meter run at the NCAA outdoor championships to go along with a 12th-place finish in the 800-meter run at the 2023 NCAA indoor championships. She posted MIAA titles in the 800-meter run and the 4x400-meter relays at the league's outdoor meet in Jefferson City, Mo.
 
Both women were integral parts in helping the Bearcat women's cross country/track & field programs earn a 10th-place team finish in the USTFCCCA's 2022-23 Program of the Year standings – the best finish ever for the Northwest women. Northwest placed 24th in cross country, 10th in indoor track & field and 13th in outdoor track & field. The Bearcat women also claimed the program's third MIAA outdoor team championship this spring in Jefferson City, Mo.
 
For more information regarding the Academic All-America® program, visit https://academicallamerica.com/.
 
Northwest's All-Time Track & Field/Cross Country Academic All-America® Selections
1989 – Bob Sundell, Track & Field (First Team)
1997 – Kathy Kearns, Women's Cross Country (Second Team)
1998 – Robby Lane, Men's Cross Country (Third Team)
1999 – Robby Lane, Men's Track & Field (First Team)
1999 – Robby Lane, Men's Cross Country (Second Team)
2002 – Tucker Woolsey, Men's Track & Field (First Team)
2003 – Clint Prange, Men's Track & Field (First Team)
2005 – Clint Prange, Men's Track & Field (First Team)
2020 – Marcus Klein, Men's Track & Field (First Team)
2022 – Marcus Klein, Men's Track & Field (Second Team)
2023 – Caroline Cunningham, Track & Field/Cross Country (First Team)
2023 – Kaylee Harp, Track & Field/Cross Country (Second Team)
 
Northwest Missouri State University has produced 48 Academic All-America® honorees beginning with Chip Gregory in football in 1981. Cunningham and Harp are the 47th and 48th Academic All-America® selections.
 
Northwest's All-Time Academic All-America® Selections
1981 – Chip Gregory, Football (First Team)
1984 – Betty Olson, Women's Basketball (Honorable Mention)
1985 – Marla Sapp, Women's Basketball (Third Team)
1989 – Bob Sundell, Track & Field (First Team)
1989 – Bob Sundell, Men's Basketball (Second Team)
1994 – Bill Bobo, Men's Tennis (Third Team)
1997 – Kathy Kearns, Women's Cross Country (Second Team)
1998 – Robby Lane, Men's Cross Country (Third Team)
1999 – Robby Lane, Men's Track & Field (First Team)
1999 – Robby Lane, Men's Cross Country (Second Team)
2000 – Kendra Smith, Softball (First Team)
2000 – Jill Quast, Volleyball (First Team)
2002 – Tucker Woolsey, Men's Track & Field (First Team)
2003 – Clint Prange, Men's Track & Field (First Team)
2004 – Josh Lamberson, Football (First Team)
2004 – Troy Tysdahl, Football (First Team)
2005 – Josh Lamberson, Football (First Team)
2005 – Clint Prange, Men's Track & Field (First Team)
2005 – Gena Lindsay, Women's Tennis (Second Team)
2006 – Zach Keith, Men's At-Large (Third Team)
2006 – Gene Lindsay, Women's Tennis (Second Team)
2008 – Myles Burnsides, Football (Second Team)
2009 – Myles Burnsides, Football (First Team)
2009 – Sean Paddock, Football (Second Team)
2010 – Jake Soy, Football (Second Team)
2011 – Trevor Adams, Football (Second Team)
2012 – Trevor Adams, Football (Second Team)
2012 – Nate DeJong, Football (Second Team)
2013 – Trevor Adams, Football (First Team)
2013 – Eric Reimer, Football (Second Team)
2014 – Eric Reimer, Football (First Team)
2016 – Kyle Zimmerman, Football (First Team)
2016 – Sarah Baldwin, Softball (Third Team)
2018 – Marqus Andrews, Football (Second Team)
2018 – Ryan Spelhaug, Football (First Team)
2019 – Marqus Andrews, Football (Second Team)
2019 – Ryan Spelhaug, Football (First Team)
2020 – Jackson Barnes, Football (Second Team)
2020 – Zach Howard, Football (Second Team)
2020 – Marcus Klein, Men's Track & Field (First Team)
2021 – Jackson Barnes, Football (First Team)
2021 – Zach Howard, Football (Second Team)
2022 – Marcus Klein, Men's Track & Field (Second Team)
2022 – Zach Howard, Football (Second Team)
2022 – Alyssa Rezac, Volleyball (Second Team)
2022 – Payton Kirchhoefer, Volleyball (Third Team)
2023 – Caroline Cunningham, Track & Field/Cross Country (First Team)
2023 – Kaylee Harp, Track & Field/Cross Country (Second Team)