UCI Lands Six on CSC Academic All-District Team
June 23, 2026 | Women's Track & Field
IRVINE, Calif. - Six Anteaters have been named to the 2026 CSC Academic All-District Women's Track & Field Team, selected by College Sports Communicators.
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Seniors DeAna Davis and Zharia Taylor were both recognized for the second year in a row, while junior Emma Hadley, graduate student Aoife Hernon, junior Giselle Rodriguez, and junior Kaia Schmidt earned their first career honor.
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Davis was an NCAA West First Round qualifier and All-Big West performer in the hammer throw. She established a personal-record 58.67 meters (192-6) at the Challenge Cup on April 10. Davis' mark ranked second in program history and was 44th in the West Region. She was also 13th in the region in the weight throw (17.29m/56-8.75) during the indoor season. Davis recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in education science.
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Taylor was the Big West champion and an NCAA West First Round qualifier in the high jump. She was also a conference scorer in the heptathlon, finishing fourth with a personal-best 5,384 points. Taylor closed out the campaign ranked among the top-40 in the West Region in both the high jump and heptathlon. In addition, she tied for 11th regionally in the indoor high jump. Last week, Taylor graduated with a bachelor's degree in urban studies.
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Hadley was the Big West champion and an NCAA West First Round qualifier in the 1500m. She made her way into UCI's all-time top-10 in both the 800m (2:07.65) and 1500m (4:17.97). During the indoor season, Hadley broke the school record and ranked 26th in the West Region in the mile with a time of 4:42.71. She was also part of the distance medley relay that clocked a program-best 11:27.11 at the MPSF Championships. Hadley is majoring in public health policy.
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Hernon ended the 2026 campaign as UC Irvine's school record holder in both the indoor and outdoor 400m. She was the Big West runner-up with a personal-best 53.61. Her top indoor time of 54.23 came at the Battle Born Classic and put her 15th in the West Region. Hernon was also part of the Anteaters' indoor and outdoor 4x400 relay that established program bests. She graduated with a master's degree in innovation and entrepreneurship.
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Rodriguez was an NCAA West First Round qualifier and the Big West runner-up in the javelin. She set a personal-record 48.38 meters (158-8) in an individual victory at the Vince O'Boyle Classic. Rodriguez's mark was second in program history and 44th in the West Region this season. She is majoring in psychology.
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Schmidt was the Big West champion and an NCAA West First Round qualifier in the steeplechase. She also had two individual victories during the regular season, including at the Triton Invitational where she ran a school-record 10:16.88. That time was 34th in the West Region. During the indoor campaign, Schmidt was part of the school-record DMR (11:27.11) and set top-10 marks in both the 800m (2:11.59) and mile (4:51.70). She is majoring in pharmaceutical sciences.
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To be eligible for CSC Academic All-District honors, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, maintain a minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA, and be ranked in the top-50 in the region in a single event (indoor or outdoor).
Β
Seniors DeAna Davis and Zharia Taylor were both recognized for the second year in a row, while junior Emma Hadley, graduate student Aoife Hernon, junior Giselle Rodriguez, and junior Kaia Schmidt earned their first career honor.
Β
Davis was an NCAA West First Round qualifier and All-Big West performer in the hammer throw. She established a personal-record 58.67 meters (192-6) at the Challenge Cup on April 10. Davis' mark ranked second in program history and was 44th in the West Region. She was also 13th in the region in the weight throw (17.29m/56-8.75) during the indoor season. Davis recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in education science.
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Taylor was the Big West champion and an NCAA West First Round qualifier in the high jump. She was also a conference scorer in the heptathlon, finishing fourth with a personal-best 5,384 points. Taylor closed out the campaign ranked among the top-40 in the West Region in both the high jump and heptathlon. In addition, she tied for 11th regionally in the indoor high jump. Last week, Taylor graduated with a bachelor's degree in urban studies.
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Hadley was the Big West champion and an NCAA West First Round qualifier in the 1500m. She made her way into UCI's all-time top-10 in both the 800m (2:07.65) and 1500m (4:17.97). During the indoor season, Hadley broke the school record and ranked 26th in the West Region in the mile with a time of 4:42.71. She was also part of the distance medley relay that clocked a program-best 11:27.11 at the MPSF Championships. Hadley is majoring in public health policy.
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Hernon ended the 2026 campaign as UC Irvine's school record holder in both the indoor and outdoor 400m. She was the Big West runner-up with a personal-best 53.61. Her top indoor time of 54.23 came at the Battle Born Classic and put her 15th in the West Region. Hernon was also part of the Anteaters' indoor and outdoor 4x400 relay that established program bests. She graduated with a master's degree in innovation and entrepreneurship.
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Rodriguez was an NCAA West First Round qualifier and the Big West runner-up in the javelin. She set a personal-record 48.38 meters (158-8) in an individual victory at the Vince O'Boyle Classic. Rodriguez's mark was second in program history and 44th in the West Region this season. She is majoring in psychology.
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Schmidt was the Big West champion and an NCAA West First Round qualifier in the steeplechase. She also had two individual victories during the regular season, including at the Triton Invitational where she ran a school-record 10:16.88. That time was 34th in the West Region. During the indoor campaign, Schmidt was part of the school-record DMR (11:27.11) and set top-10 marks in both the 800m (2:11.59) and mile (4:51.70). She is majoring in pharmaceutical sciences.
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To be eligible for CSC Academic All-District honors, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, maintain a minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA, and be ranked in the top-50 in the region in a single event (indoor or outdoor).
Players Mentioned
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Javelin
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Heptathlon/High Jump
/ Women's Track & FieldWednesday, January 21
Tuesday, October 28
Tuesday, March 18
Wednesday, March 05
