Hernandez Earns CSC Second Team Academic All-American Honors
Published: July 15, 2026.
After earning third-place honors in the long jump at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships and being named a College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District selection, ÐÔÊÓ½ç senior (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North HS) added another prestigious honor to her resume by earning CSC Second Team Academic All-America recognition."Denise has really put in the work both in the classroom and on the track" ÐÔÊÓ½ç women's track & field head coach said. "It's so nice to see that hard work get recognized."Hernandez becomes just the fifth women's track and field student-athlete at ÐÔÊÓ½ç since 2015 to receive CSC Academic All-America honors, joining Allison Heinzer (2021), Amanda Farrough (2016), Amber Cook (2016), and Rebecca Prisler (2015). The Naperville, Illinois native carries a 3.57 GPA while majoring in Organizational Communication. She is one of only six Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) women's track and field student-athletes to earn CSC Academic All-America recognition this season, joining Sydney Morris (Missouri S&T), Vivian Osagie (UIndy), Sarai Brown (Maryville), Francesca Maurino (UIndy) and Madelyn Miller-Ross (UIS).Hernandez put together an outstanding 2026 campaign, establishing herself as one of the nation's top jumpers. She captured GLVC Indoor Championships titles in both the long jump (6.10m) and triple jump (12.18m). She then earned NCAA Division II Indoor All-America honors with a runner-up finish in the long jump after recording a leap of 6.18 meters.During the outdoor season, Hernandez continued her success by winning the GLVC title in the long jump with a mark of 6.30 meters, while also finishing runner-up in the triple jump (11.80m). She closed out her season on the national stage, earning First Team All-America honors with a third-place finish in the long jump at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, posting a jump of 6.23 meters.Hernandez is one of five ÐÔÊÓ½ç student-athletes to earn CSC Academic All-America honors during the 2025-26 academic year, joining Abraham Christian (men's track and field), Nico Paula (men's volleyball), Tyler Davis (men's lacrosse) and Amelia Marsicek (women's swimming).
ÐÔÊÓ½ç is a modern, enterprising, Catholic university with a growing student enrollment from GED through doctoral level programs. As part of the global Lasallian network of 65 universities, ÐÔÊÓ½ç is known for preparing graduates who impact the world for the better. Visit www.lewisu.edu for further information.
