FRISCO, Texas – SFA's Riley Elliott and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's Alicia Finnis are the Southland Conference Cross Country Student-Athletes of the Year, the league announced Thursday. All-Academic teams were also announced.
Elliott is a graduate student at SFA and held a 3.89 grade point average, majoring in business administration. The first team all-Southland honoree placed third at the conference championship meet and is a member of the 2025 Southland Men's Cross Country Championship team. As team captain this season, he set personal best times in the 3,000m (15:08.5), 6K, (18:37.4), 8K (23:01.2) and 10K (30:38.9). Elliott concluded his season with a 23rd place finish at the 2025 NCAA South Central Region Cross Country Championships.
Finnis, a sophomore majoring in civil engineer at A&M-Corpus Christi, earned a 3.91 GPA. She placed fourth at the 2025 Southland Conference individual championship with a time of 20:50.7, earning a spot on the All-Conference First Team. She scored points at every meet for the Islanders this year, finishing second on the team at one meet and third at the other five. Finnis placed 37th at the NCAA South Central Regional after crossing the line in 21:27.8.
Student-Athlete of the Year nominees must hold at least a 3.5 GPA and have completed in one semester of athletic competition at the nominating institution. Members of the All-Academic team are nominated by their institution based on athletic performance and musut hold at least a 3.25 GPA and have completed in one semester of athletic competition at the nominating institution.
WOMEN'S STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Alicia Finnis, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, So., 3.91 GPA, Civil Engineering
MEN'S STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Riley Elliott, SFA, Gr., 3.89 GPA, Business Administration
2025 SOUTHLAND MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
EAST TEXAS A&M
Christian James, Jr., 3.81 GPA, Accounting
HCU
Gavin Almaguer, Fr., 3.80 GPA, Business Administration
Jaxon Artisst, Jr., 3.58 GPA, Business Administration
Raphael Aureau, Sr., 3.85 GPA, Business Administration
Colby Kurtz, Jr., 3.82 GPA, Cyber Engineering
Leandre Lahalle, Sr., 3.91 GPA, Interdisciplinary Studies
UIW
Kevin Hernandez, Jr., 3.26 GPA, History & Education
Eric Pineda, Sr., 4.00 GPA, Health Administration *
Ethan Malesich, Jr., 3.87 GPA, General Business
LAMAR
Kenny Bibb, So., 4.00 GPA, Physics Major
Luke Parker, So., 4.00 GPA, Exercise Science
Ryan Servantes, So., 4.00 GPA, Biology
Riley Trent, Jr., 3.78 GPA, Biology
McNEESE
Owen Kirkland, Jr., 3.94 GPA, Chemistry
Samuel Serrano, So., 3.71 GPA, Kinesiology
Nathan Waller, Fr., 3.76 GPA, Mathematical Sciences
James Boutte, So., 3.26 GPA, Kinesiology
Gregory Martin, Fr., 3.60 GPA, Business Administration
NEW ORLEANS
Mason Appleton, Sr., 3.88 GPA, Biological Sciences
NICHOLLS
William Bellina, Sr., 4.00 GPA, Business Administration
Alex Hartline, Jr., 3.38 GPA, Culinary Arts
Ty Frazier, So., 3.40 GPA, Human Performance Education
Brady Sins, So., 4.00 GPA, Biology
Chase Walker, Sr., 4.00 GPA, Marketing
NORTHWESTERN STATE
John Klein, Sr., 3.74 GPA, Criminal Justice: Pre-law & Paralegal Studies
SOUTHEASTERN
Tanner Salsman, So., 3.55 GPA, Engineering
D’Juan Joseph, Fr., 3.28 GPA, Kinesiology
SFA
Riley Elliott, Gr., 3.89 GPA, Business Administration
Ryan Binskin, So., 3.38 GPA, Kinesiology
Sam Golla, 3.52 GPA, Finance
Lathan Lewter, Fr., 4.00 GPA, Kinesiology
Andrew Mullen, Jr., 3.33 GPA, Sports Business
TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI
Kye Lowth, So., 3.89 GPA, Communication Studies
Diego Canto, Fr., 3.45 GPA, Management
Ewan Wheelwright, Gr., 3.27 GPA, Kinesiology
UTRGV
Nirmit Dahiya, So., 3.31 GPA, Kinesiology
Abraham Morales, Sr., 3.88 GPA, Management
2025 SOUTHLAND WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
EAST TEXAS A&M
Edith Martinez, Fr., 3.77 GPA, Elementary Education
Haleigh Risner, Sr., 3.85 GPA, Biological Sciences
HCU
Reyes Carrera, Fr., 4.00 GPA, Kinesiology
Jazlynn Estrada, Jr., 3.46 GPA, Chemistry
Cara Gary, So., 3.73 GPA, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology
Noelle Huijser, So., 4.00 GPA, Psychology
Destiny Quintanilla, Sr., 3.35 GPA, Human Resources Management
UIW
Stoya Laydevant, Fr., 4.00 GPA, Nutrition
Dianett Garcia, Jr., 4.00 GPA, Business Administration
Emily Torres, So., 3.88 GPA, Kinesiology
Sophia Keiser, Fr., 4.00 GPA, Interior Design
LAMAR
Ashton Rainey, Jr., 3.89 GPA, Biochemistry
Claire Bibb, So. 3.30 GPA, Marketing
Anna Eischen, Jr., 3.48 GPA, Exercise Science
Lauren Polk, Fr., 3.70 GPA, Biology
McNEESE
Jeny Barcenas, Sr., 3.34, General Studies
Elsa Moore, Fr., 4.00 GPA, Agricultural Sciences
Grace French, So., 3.58 GPA, Kinesiology
Edyn Hill, Fr., 4.00 GPA, Psychology
Uxue Castro-Martin, So. 3.34 GPA, Mechanical Engineering
NEW ORLEANS
Anais Sulpice, Gr., 4.00, Fiance
Petra Imre, So., 3.87 GPA, Film and Theater Arts
Michela Papalia, So., 3.93 GPA, Human Performance and Health Promotion
NICHOLLS
Isabella Sejihouwer, Jr., 3.92 GPA, Criminal Justice
Kalynn Beacom, So., 3.70 GPA, Health Science
Lotte Aerts, So. 4.00 GPA, English
Anne De Jong, Sr., 3.90 GPA, Psychology
Ana Learn Cartes, So., 3.40 GPA, Health Science
NORTHWESTERN STATE
Lalaina Wood, Jr., 3.90 GPA, Health and Exercise Science
SOUTHEASTERN
Ava Pitarro, Jr., 4.00 GPA, Biology
Callie Arthur, Fr., 4.00 GPA, Elementary Education
JoAnna Cornette, So., 3.94 GPA, English
Nikola Vimmerova, Jr., 3.90 GPA, General Studies
SFA
Gertrude Lamb, Jr., 3.44 GPA, Public Health
Garance Dubray, Gr., 4.00 GPA, Masters in Forestry
Gracycee Wilson, So., 3.63 GPA, Sports Business
Keara Zver, Fr., 3.81 GPA, Biology
TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI
Alicia Finnis, So., 3.91 GPA, Civil Engineering
Neele Heyne, So., 3.81 GPA, Psychology
Embla Hreimsdottir, So., 3.58 GPA, Psychology
Sharon Jemeli, So., 3.69 GPA, Nursing
Abbey Coverly, Jr., 4.00 GPA, University Studies
UTRGV
N Vanee Anchike, Jr., 3.60 GPA, Communication
Lilliana Guerrero, Sr., 4.00 GPA, English