AUSTIN, Texas — Six student-athletes from the Harding men's cross country and track and field teams were named to the 2025–26 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District® Track & Field/Cross Country Team.
Graduated senior Nate Perry, seniors Brady Axtell, Isaac Hodges, and Chad Strickland, junior Joey Bonacci, and sophomore Caledon Ruwende were recognized for their elite performance both in competition and in the classroom.
The CSC Academic All-District® program recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the track, on the cross country course, and in academic coursework.
The Honorees
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Nate Perry (Senior | Purcellville, Va.) — Perry graduated in May with a Bachelor of Business Administration in management and a 3.90 cumulative GPA. A steady veteran presence for the Bisons distance corps, Perry led Harding's scoring pack across multiple cross country meets this season, including setting a personal-best 24:54.72 in the 8K at the Lewis Crossover.
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Brady Axtell (Senior | La Porte, Texas) — Axtell carries a 3.61 GPA in management. Competing in both cross country and track, Axtell provided essential distance depth for the Bisons, highlighted by strong performances in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and 5,000 meters during the outdoor track season.
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Isaac Hodges (Senior | Omaha, Texas) — Hodges holds a 3.58 GPA in management. A key contributor to Harding's pole vault squad, Hodges helped power the Bisons to their fifth consecutive GAC Outdoor Championship with a third-place, podium-finishing vault of 4.91m (16-01.25).
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Joey Bonacci (Junior | Jenison, Mich.) — Bonacci maintains a 3.89 GPA as a mathematics major. A versatile vault specialist, Bonacci scored vital conference points at the GAC Outdoor Championships to solidify Harding's team title.
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Chad Strickland (Senior | West Monroe, La.) — Strickland holds a 3.55 GPA in kinesiology. Competing across vault and hurdle events, Strickland contributed valuable team scoring throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons, including a scoring clearance in the pole vault at the GAC Outdoor Championships.
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Caledon Ruwende (Sophomore | Norton, Zimbabwe) — Ruwende accumulated a perfect 4.00 cumulative GPA in civil engineering. On the track, the sophomore sprinter earned Second Team All-America honors in the 200-meter dash during both the indoor and outdoor national championships.
To be eligible for CSC Academic All-District honors, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50, and rank among the top athletic performers regionally or nationally in their respective individual events or cross country competitions.
