Northwest Missouri State University junior Jadyn Barnes and senior Kiki Witt have been honored as first-team choices for the 2025-26 Academic All-America® women's track and field/cross country teams as selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC).
 
Barnes (Kearney, Mo.) is a two-time first-team Academic All-America® honoree. She owns a perfect 4.0 grade point average in foods and nutrition. Barnes secured a trio of All-America efforts this year at the NCAA Championships in the 4x400m relay (indoors, outdoors) and distance medley relay. She placed second in the outdoor 4x400 relay and third in the indoor 4x400 relay. She placed eight in the distance medley relay at the indoor championships. Barnes was a part of two MIAA championship relays in the 4x400 relays this year (indoors and outdoors). She captured USTFCCCA all-region honors in the 800m (indoors, outdoors), 4x400m relay (indoors, outdoors). Overall, Barnes is a six-time All-America performer for the Bearcats.
 
Witt (Charles City, Iowa) tallied a perfect 4.0 GPA in therapeutic recreation after transferring to Northwest from Iowa State University. It marks the second Academic All-America® honor for Witt after she gained second-team status at Iowa State in 2023. Witt was a three-time MIAA champion this past year in the indoor distance medley relay, the 3,000m steeplechase (outdoors) and the 5,000m (outdoors). Witt notched a pair of All-America efforts in the indoor distance medley relay (eighth place) and the outdoor 3,000m steeplechase (third place). She tallied USTFCCCA all-region honors in the distance medley relay (indoors), mile (indoors), 3,000m (indoors) and the 3,000m steeplechase (outdoors).
 
Twenty-three of the 45 members of the Academic All-America® Division II women's track and field/cross country teams sport a sterling 4.00 GPA in their undergraduate work or graduate school. The 16 first-team members have an average undergraduate GPA of 3.91. The entire 45-member team has an undergraduate GPA of 3.86.
 
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.

Barnes and Witt are the 23rd and 24th Bearcat track and field/cross country student-athlete to gain Academic All-America honors in program history. They are the 15th and 16th Bearcat track and field/cross country Academic All-America choice under the direction of head coach Brandon Masters.
 
Overall, Northwest has had 68 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)
2026 – Jadyn Barnes, Track & Field/Cross Country (First Team)
2026 – Kiki Witt, Track & Field Cross Country (First Team)

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

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