2021 USTFCCCA All-Academic Teams (women's track & field)
2021 USTFCCCA All-Academic Individuals (women's track & field)
2021 USTFCCCA All-Academic Individuals (men's track & field)

NEW ORLEANS -- In a Thursday announcement by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, Academy of Art University track & field had eight Urban Knights earn All-Academic Individual awards in addition to the third All-Academic Team honor in program history for the women's squad. Distance runner Natalia Novak, sprinter Hava Turner, jumper Camille Jouanno, and hurdler Alice Coisne were among the individuals featured on the women's side while the men's team was represented by distance runner James Young, sprinter Makarios Page, mid-distance runner Elliot Slade, and sprinter Kaze Poitier.

In order to make the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team list, a program must have collectively delivered a 3.00 cumulative team grade point average or higher for the year. The academic success of 15 women's track & field student-athletes was factored into a 3.22 GPA with six of those individuals posting or contributing to times/distances that were NCAA Division II provisional marks in the indoor and outdoor seasons. There were a total of 130 women's teams honored by the USTFCCCA for their academic success.

To qualify for USTFCCCA All-Academic honors individually, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.25 and have reached a provisional or automatic qualifying standard for the NCAA Championships in either the indoor or outdoor seasons.

Boasting the second-highest cumulative GPA of the eight Urban Knights honored, Novak's 3.82 GPA in the School of Communications & Media Technologies came along with a host of accomplishments and accolades on the track in 2021. In her two opportunities to contest the indoor mile, the native of Békéscsaba, Hungary finished second at the Indoor Gorilla Classic then first at the UIndy Last Chance Meet while also competing in the distance medley relay in both meets. She would finish the indoor season as an All-Region honoree in both events.

Leading up to her first National Championship meet since joining Academy of Art, Novak etched her name in program history during the outdoor season, breaking records in the 800m, 1500m, and 3000m over a two-month span. After capturing the 3000m record with a 10:17.91 time at the State Center Invitational on Mar. 20, her first 1500m of the season at the APU Invitational on Apr. 3 was initially the top mark, but she quickly cut more than four seconds off that with a 4:18.60, the 14th-fastest time in NCAA DII history, at the Bryan Clay Invitational on Apr. 17. One of six automatic qualifying times run by NCAA DII student-athletes this season, Novak's effort slotted her fourth in the nation.

The Communications & Media Technologies major would then dominate the 800m and 1500m at the PacWest Championships on May 1, winning both titles, breaking the ART U record with a 2:09.57 in the 800m, and walking away the PacWest Most Outstanding Track Athlete. At Outdoor Nationals, Novak finished eighth overall in the 1500m to earn the second All-American honor of her career. A CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree, she earned her second consecutive USTFCCCA All-Academic Individual selection as well.

While compiling a 3.76 cumulative GPA in the School of Motion Pictures & Television, Turner built upon her 2019 All-American run as a member of ART U's outdoor 4x100m relay team with more accomplishments in 2021. In her two indoor meets, the native of St. Louis contributed legs on both the distance medley relay and 4x400m at the Indoor Gorilla Classic and the UIndy Last Chance Meet. Both quartets would garner All-Region selections, setting her up for some breakout individual performances along with more relay success in the subsequent outdoor campaign.

After having singular opportunities to compete in the 100m and 200m in March and early April, Turner had a truly memorable Apr. 16 at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Opening with a 45.75 provisional qualifier with her teammates in the 4x100m, the Motion Pictures & Television major then dropped the best 100m and 200m times of her career shortly thereafter. She went 11.95 in the 100m then 24.22 in the 200m to take over the fifth spot in Academy of Art history with wind-legal marks in each event. Next, at the PacWest Championships, she helped the Urban Knights to silver medals in the 4x100m while also picking up bronzes in the 200m and 4x400m. Turner finished off her 2021 season with All-Region selections in the 200m, 4x100m, and 4x400m for a total of seven in her career. A CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, she adds her second USTFCCCA All-Academic Individual honor to date.

Now a two-time USTFCCCA All-Academic Individual like her two teammates, Jouanno closed out her collegiate career with a 3.52 cumulative GPA in the School of Communications & Media Technologies. Though she did not compete during the indoor season, the native of Bordeaux, France came back strong for outdoor.

One of Academy of Art Athletics' two nominations for NCAA Woman of the Year in 2021, Jouanno extended her marks in both the long jump and triple jump as the year progressed. Her 39-8.5 (12.10m) mark at the PacWest Championships earned her a bronze medal in the triple jump and her 19-1.25 (5.82m) distance in the long jump put her fifth in program history. She then qualified for Outdoor Nationals at the final meet of the regular season, going 40-10.25 (12.45m) at the APU Last Chance Twilight on May 15.

With her sixth career All-Region selection in tow, Jouanno was tied for 13th in the country in the triple jump and proceeded to compete at Outdoor Nationals where she finished 14th overall. Jouanno also added a Communications & Media Technologies Award for Best Graduate Editor in 2021.

It was a memorable debut season for Coisne who garnered multiple All-Region honors along with posting the highest cumulative GPA among the eight Urban Knights recognized at 3.90 in the School of Communications & Media Technologies. A contributor to the team both individually and as a relay member, the native of Le Malesherbois, France debuted at the Indoor Gorilla Classic on Feb. 13 and was responsible for 400m and 4x400m marks that would result in her first two All-Region selections.

The ensuing outdoor season saw Coisne have her first opportunity to compete in the 400m hurdles while continuing with the 4x400m relay. Steadily building to her best time in each event, she delivered a 1:02.85 in the prelims of the 400mH at the PacWest Championships and went on to finish third in the final. Cosine's final competition of the year, the APU Last Chance Twilight on May 15, had her on the 4x400m team that went 3:45.86 for an Outdoor Nationals provisional mark and ranked 20th by the regular season's end.

Coisne's third All-Region honor of the season came as a result of her opening leg of the 4x400m. She added a Communications & Media Technologies award for Best Graduate Focus to close out her first campaign with Academy of Art.

Fresh off being named PacWest Athlete of the Year and CoSIDA Academic All-District, Young capped a historic 2021 campaign on the track with a 3.75 cumulative GPA in the School of Advertising. After qualifying for Indoor Nationals with a 4:05.06 indoor mile time on the first day of the Indoor Gorilla Classic and his anchor leg in the men's 9:45.51 automatically-qualifying distance medley relay which broke the school record, Young earned USTFCCCA West Region Indoor Track Athlete of the Year along with a pair of All-Region selections heading into the indoor finale. An All-American in both events, the Advertising major's incredible finish in the mile not only was the second-fastest time in National Championship meet history and fourth-fastest in NCAA DII history all-time, but it also resulted in him becoming a National Champion.

Young's momentum from that achievement carried into an impressive outdoor season as well. In his first outdoor race, the 5000m at the APU Invitational on Apr. 3, he debuted at third in program history with a time of 14:09.50 which has remained among the nation's top 30 as an Outdoor Nationals provisional qualifier. Two weeks later, however, the Blyth, England native's biggest highlight of the season came at the Bryan Clay Invitational where he delivered the second-fastest 1500m effort in NCAA DII history at 3:37.72.

First among NCAA DII runners by nearly four seconds through the end of the regular season, the performance led the Advertising major to be named both USTFCCCA DII National Athlete of the Week and PacWest Track Athlete of the Week in addition to breaking the program record. Those stellar outings behind him, Young cruised to PacWest titles in both the 1500m and 5000m on May 1.

The PacWest Track Athlete of the Year and eventual USTFCCCA West Region Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year and two-time All-Region honoree thereafter, he closed out the regular season with the third-fastest 1500m time in NCAA DII history, 3:38.31, at Sound Running's "Track Meet" on May 15. In action one last time in the 1500m at Outdoor Nationals, Young was the favorite going into the final where he incredibly dove across the finish line to become a National Champion once more. On the season, Young was a three-time All-American, giving him four in his career. This was his second consecutive USTFCCCA All-Academic Individual selection.

In his first season with Academy of Art track & field, Page compiled both a strong collection of athletic accomplishments along with a 3.37 cumulative GPA in the School of Music Production & Sound Design for Visual Media. His indoor season saw him compete individually in the 400m once and twice in the 4x400m relay, leading him to All-Region honors in both events and setting him up for success as the outdoor season followed.

Page helped the Urban Knights' 4x400m squad run progressively faster throughout the outdoor campaign, leading them to their best time (eventually third-fastest in program history), 3:10.38, at the Bryan Clay Invitational on Apr. 16 then a PacWest title in the event on May 1. The Los Angeles native subsequently made it four All-Region honors in his Academy of Art career after adding another pair in the 400m and 4x400m.

With two of the country's top 12 times by the end of the regular season, ART U bettered that mark at Outdoor Nationals with Page once again leading off the 4x400m relay to a 3:10.12 (second-fastest in program history) and propelling the team to All-American honors at fourth overall.

Record-breaking event debuts and an All-American finish were among the highlights from Slade's 2021 season which came along with a 3.60 cumulative GPA in the School of Motion Pictures & Television. Beginning with indoor, Slade helped Academy of Art break its distance medley relay record with an Indoor Nationals automatic qualifying 9:45.51 at the Indoor Gorilla Classic on Feb. 12 then followed that up by breaking the program's indoor 800m the following day with a 1:50.89 on Feb. 13.

After earning All-Region honors in both, the native of Cardiff, United Kingdom would go on to take home his first two All-American honors in an ART U uniform at Indoor Nationals.

Slade again broke the program record in his first outdoor 800m race, going 1:49.78 at the APU Invitational on Apr. 3 and earning PacWest Track Athlete of the Week honors in the process. After winning a PacWest title in the 800m and reaching the podium in the 1500m as well, Slade found himself on the season's final 4x400m relay and subsequently appeared in the event at Outdoor Nationals.

Coming off an All-Region selection in the 800m, Slade ended up emerging from the NCAA outdoor postseason as an All-American in the 4x400m. He ended up anchoring the team's aforementioned second-fastest time in program history, 3:10.12, and hoisted All-American trophies with his teammates after their fourth place finish.

A veteran on the ART U track & field squad, Poitier collected the fourth USTFCCCA All-Academic Individual honor of his career, adding to a 3.55 cumulative GPA in the School of Web Design & New Media over four years. After competing in one indoor meet, the native of Nassau, Bahamas went right to work in numerous sprint events and relays over the course of the outdoor season.

Poitier's biggest breakout came at the Bryan Clay Invitational where his first day, Apr. 16, featured his contributions to a season-best 4x100m at 41.39 before he ran career-bests in both the 200m and 400m. The following day, Apr. 17, Poitier anchored the 4x400m team that delivered a 3:10.38 (third-fastest in program history). At the season's end, Poitier was awarded All-Region honors in both relays, giving him six selections in his career.

Novak, Turner, Jouanno, and Coisne were among the more than 375 Division II women to earn the honor while Young, Page, Slade, and Poitier were four of the more than 325 men awarded this distinguished USTFCCCA All-Academic honor for their combined academic and athletic accomplishments.