WKU Athletics Sets Record with 101 CUSA Academic Medalists

Western Kentucky University Athletics established a new benchmark for academic achievement on April 3, 2026, as the conference announced that 101 student-athletes received the Conference USA (CUSA) Commissioner’s Academic Medal for 2025.

The total of 101 recipients represents a record for WKU Athletics, surpassing the previous high of 86 medals awarded to student-athletes in 2024.

To qualify for the Commissioner’s Academic Medal, a student-athlete is required to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or better.

Recipient Highlights

Among the record-breaking group are Nina McMurtrey and Katie Murphy. McMurtrey is a senior on the women’s golf team and a 2022 graduate of Glasgow High School. Murphy is a sophomore softball player who graduated from Barren County High School in 2024.

The 2025 medalists span a wide array of athletic programs, with significant representation from baseball and football.

• Baseball: Joey Baran, Sam Frizzi, Austin Haller, Reid Howard, Kyle Hvidsten, Ty Marsh, Treyson Peters, Kaine Samuels, Kiefer Tarnoki, Mick Uebelhor, Bryson Vawter, and Maxwell Winders.
• Football: Melvin Collins, Jax Cooper, Jackson Dialls, Quincy Jenkins, Konner Olson, Marvis Parrish, Trace Patterson, Kolbyn Price, Bailey Sanders, Tate Titshaw, Weston Wallace, and Justin Wolf.
• Men’s Golf: Rafe Blankenship, Trevor Drew, Hayden Warren, and Stephen Warren.
• Men’s Track: Sam Crenshaw, Jackson Gray, Connor Owens, Benjamin Reece, Carter Vinson, and Sterling Weldon.
• Women’s Basketball: Enni Ahervuo, Lola Bond, Mackenzie Chatfield, and Elif Naz Dal.
• Women’s Cross Country: Hannah Glassmeyer, Kinley Kunkel, and Nayla Martin.

Additional recipients include Lawson Rice from men’s basketball and Rowen Wilkinson from men’s cross country.

Academic Performance Trends

The achievement of 101 medals follows a period of steady academic growth for the university’s athletic programs. The previous record of 86 recipients in 2024 had itself surpassed a prior record of 74 medals.

This surge in individual academic honors aligns with broader department successes. On June 11, 2025, WKU Athletics reported that student-athletes had completed a record-breaking 2024-25 academic year, which included a school-record cumulative GPA of 3.26.

The increase in recipients to triple digits suggests a systemic effort toward scholastic rigor. The university utilizes the WKU Student-Athlete Success Center to provide academic advising, life skills workshops, and tutoring designed to help athletes manage the demands of Division I competition alongside their coursework.