Northwest Missouri State University seniors Riley Witt and Maxime Touron have been chosen as members of the 2025-26 Academic All-America® men's track and field/cross country teams as selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC).
 
Witt (Osage, Iowa) is a two-time Academic All-America® honoree having gained second-team status last year before moving up to the first-team nod this season. Witt was one of 10 repeat members from last year's honorees. Witt has a 3.95 cumulative grade point average with a major in exercise science. Witt claimed All-America performances at both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor national championship meets. Witt placed eighth in the indoor mile and third place in the outdoor 800m. Witt completed his Bearcat career with eight total NCAA All-America nods. Witt was named the MIAA "A Game" Scholar-Athlete at the 2026 league's indoor conference championships meet, given to the individual who has contributed to their team's success while also achieving the highest academic standard among peers. Witt owns the Bearcat school records in the indoor mile run (3:59.07), outdoor 800m (1:45.96) and indoor distance medley relay (9:33.06). Witt earned USTFCCCA all-region accolades in the distance medley relay (indoors), 800m (indoors), mile (indoors), 800m (outdoors) and 1,500m (outdoors) this season.
 
Touron (St. Adams de Pellegal, France) gained his first Academic All-America® award with a third-place slot this season. Touron has a 3.56 cumulative grade point average in physical education. Touron notched a pair of All-America finishes this season at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Emporia, Kan., in the 800m (seventh) and the 1,500m (eighth). Touron landed six All-America finishes in his Bearcat career. Touron holds Northwest school records in the indoor 800m (1:48.73), indoor 1,000m (2:25.31) and the indoor distance medley relay (9:33.06). Touron claimed USTFCCCA all-region accolades in the 800m (outdoors) and 1,500m (outdoors) this season.
 
The 16-member Division II first team had a 3.91 average undergraduate GPA. Additionally, the members of the CSC Academic All-America® men's track & field/cross country Division II teams had 10 student-athletes who hold a perfect 4.0 GPA in their undergraduate or graduate degree programs.

The Division II Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2025-26 Division II Academic All-America® program.

Witt and Touron are the 21st and 22nd Bearcat track and field/cross country student-athlete to gain Academic All-America honors in program history. They are the 13th and 14th Bearcat track and field/cross country Academic All-America choice under the direction of head coach Brandon Masters.
 
Overall, Northwest has had 66 all-time Academic All-America® honorees beginning with Chip Gregory in football in 1981.
 
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 Tennis/Men's At-Large (Third Team)
2006 – Gena 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)
2023 – Blake Morgan, Track & Field/Cross Country (First Team)
2023 – Reece Smith, Track & Field/Cross Country (First Team)
2023 – Dakota Schmidt, Track & Field/Cross Country (Second Team)
2023 – Kobe Clayborne, Football (Second Team)
2024 – Mitch Mascari, Men's Basketball (Second Team)
2024 – Ryan Williams, Baseball (Second Team)
2024 – Kaylee Harp, Track & Field/Cross Country (First Team)
2024 – Blake Morgan, Track & Field/Cross Country (First Team)
2024 – Reece Smith, Track & Field/Cross Country (First Team)
2024 – Andrew Dumas, Football (First Team)
2024 – Jake Fisher, Football (First Team)
2025 – Jadyn Barnes, Track & Field/Cross Country (Second Team)
2025 – Riley Witt, Track & Field/Cross Country (Second Team)
2025 – Shane Fredrickson, Football (First Team)
2025 – Clayton Power, Football (First Team)
2025 – Kaleb McCullough, Football (Second Team)
2026 – Riley Witt, Track & Field/Cross Country (First Team)
2026 – Maxime Touron, Track & Field/Cross Country (Third Team)

For more information regarding the Academic All-America® program, visit https://academicallamerica.com/.

NOTE: Riley Witt is the sixth Bearcat track & field/cross country members to earn multiple Academic All-America® awards joining Kaylee Harp (2), Marcus Klein (2), Robby Lane (3), Blake Morgan (2) and Clint Prange (2).