Athletes
Chris Kopecky and
Juliane Frueh from UT Tyler have been selected as the 2026 Lone Star Conference Outdoor Track and Field Academic Athletes of the Year, it was announced by the league office.
Kopecky leads 11 men named to the all-academic team while Frueh headlines 11 on the women's all-academic team.
A sophomore middle distance runner, Kopecky is studying nursing and carries a 4.00 grade-point average, is listed on the LSC Commissioner's Honor Roll, and named to the indoor and outdoor track and field LSC All-Academic Teams. At the LSC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Kopecky won the conference 1500-meter title (3:53.88) and All-Conference First Team citation. Earlier in the outdoor season, he won the 1500m at the Angelo State David Noble Relays. Kopecky claimed indoor track and field All-Conference First Team honors as a member of the winning Distance Medley Relay squad.
Frueh, a multi-event athlete, is a junior majoring in economics with a 4.00 grade-point average who is a two-time LSC Indoor Track and Field All-Academic Team selection. Frueh captured two event titles at the LSC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, winning the heptathlon (5,465 points) and high jump (1.71m) for All-LSC First Team honors. She will compete in the 2026 NCAA Division II National Championships in both events. During the indoor season, Frueh earned All-LSC First Team honors winning the pentathlon (4,007 pts.) at the conference meet.
Joining Kopecky on the men's outdoor track and field All-Academic Team are
Jahleel Armstrong and
Kobi Valchar of Angelo State;
Isaac Pendley, DBU;
Andre Smikle, Eastern New Mexico;
Django Segovia, Texas A&M-Kingsville;
Alex Bozhilov, UT Dallas;
Brandon Arenas and
Jackson Crysup, UT Tyler; and
Isaac Bostic and
James Dadzie, West Texas A&M.
Frueh is joined on the women's outdoor track and field All-Academic Team by
Marie Schuler, Angelo State;
Courtney Richman and
Lesli Salas, DBU;
Kenzie Kurdys, Texas A&M-Kingsville;
Isabel Jakobsen and
Aerin Thompson, UT Tyler; and
Deborah Acheampong,
Blessing Akintoye,
Eliette Chaput and
Kalkidan Vincendeau of West Texas A&M.
Among the 22 honorees, five athletes earned their second LSC Outdoor Track and Field All-Academic Team citation (2025, '26): Richman, Jakobsen and Akintoye on the women's side and Arenas and Crysup for the men.
The All-Academic Teams are selected by vote of the LSC sports information directors and recognizes student-athlete accomplishments in the classroom and their outdoor track and field performances. To be eligible for the All-Academic Team ballot, individuals must maintain a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average and have reached sophomore athletic eligibility.
Both Kopecky and Frueh will be candidates for the 2025-26 LSC Fred Jacoby Academic Athlete of the Year awards announced in June.
2026 LSC OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD ALL-ACADEMIC AWARDS
Men's All-Academic Team
Men's Outdoor Track & Field Academic Athlete of the Year: Chris Kopecky, University of Texas at Tyler
Sorted alphabetically by institution.
| Athlete |
Team |
Yr. |
Field of Study |
Hometown |
| Jahleel Armstrong |
Angelo State |
Jr. |
Management |
Redman's Village, Barbados |
| Kobi Valchar |
Angelo State |
Jr. |
Commercial Aviation |
Schulenburg, Texas |
| Isaac Pendley |
DBU |
Sr. |
Accounting |
Huntsville, Texas |
| Andre Smikle |
Eastern New Mexico |
Jr. |
Social Work |
Tortola, British Virgin Islands |
| Django Segovia |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
Sr. |
General Studies |
Marble Falls, Texas |
| Alex Bozhilov |
UT Dallas |
So. |
Finance |
Sofia, Bulgaria |
| Brandon Arenas |
UT Tyler |
Sr. |
Kinesiology |
Houston, Texas |
| Jackson Crysup |
UT Tyler |
Jr. |
Human Resources |
Rusk, Texas |
| Chris Kopecky |
UT Tyler |
So. |
Nursing |
East Bernard, Texas |
| Isaac Botsio |
West Texas A&M |
Sr. |
Environmental Science |
Takoradi, Ghana |
| James Dadzie |
West Texas A&M |
Sr. |
Agribusiness |
Akim Oda, Eastern, Ghana |
Women's All-Academic Team
Women's Outdoor Track & Field Academic Athlete of the Year: Juliane Frueh, University of Texas at Tyler
Sorted alphabetically by institution.
| Athlete |
Team |
Yr. |
Field of Study |
Hometown |
| Marie Schuler |
Angelo State |
Gr. |
Engineering |
Langenfeld, Germany |
| Courtney Richman |
DBU |
Jr. |
Criminal Justice |
Katy, Texas |
| Lesli Salas |
DBU |
Jr. |
Commercial Art |
San Angelo, Texas |
| Kenzie Kurdys |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
Jr. |
Kinesiology |
Savannah, Ga. |
| Juliane Frueh |
UT Tyler |
Jr. |
Economics |
Munich, Germany |
| Isabel Jakobsen |
UT Tyler |
Jr. |
Nursing |
Houston, Texas |
| Aerin Thompson |
UT Tyler |
Jr. |
Human Resources |
Cayuga, Texas |
| Deborah Acheampong |
West Texas A&M |
Jr. |
Sports & Exercise Science |
Eastern Region, Ghana |
| Blessing Akintoye |
West Texas A&M |
Jr. |
Health Science |
Ogun State, Nigeria |
| Eliette Chaput |
West Texas A&M |
Sr. |
Marketing |
Pouillon, France |
| Kalkidan Vincendeau |
West Texas A&M |
Sr. |
Sports & Exercise Science |
Bordeaux, France |