Academic All-America Teams

Greenwood, Ind.----Wingate University junior defender Kathryn McCabe has collected another impressive trophy, collecting second team Academic All-America® accolades selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC). McCabe collects Academic All-America® honors for the first time in her career.

The women's lacrosse program has been piling up the Academic accolades over the past four seasons. The 'Dogs had multiple Academic All-America® honorees in 2023, 2024 and 2025. McCabe joins Leah Knowles and Megan Millard as the three players in program history to collect All-American and Academic All-America® accolades in the same season.

McCabe gives Wingate 168 all-time Academic All-America® honorees, with 159 this millennium. The Bulldogs lead all North Carolina colleges and universities in Academic All-America® selections in the 2000's, while leading the SAC and ranking second in all of Division II.  

McCabe has compiled a 4.0 GPA, majoring in Mathematics. A Wingate President's List selection collected the 2026 SAC Elite 23 Award. McCabe was also named the SAC Scholar-Athlete in 2026. The SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll honoree is a member of the Alpha Chi national honor society.

McCabe is the back-to-back SAC Defensive Player of the Year. She earned IWLCA third team All-American accolades last year, while hauling in third team honors again this year to go along with second team recognition from the USA Lacrosse Magazine. The back-to-back first team All-SAC selection has helped the 'Dogs win back-to-back regular season conference titles, along with the 2026 SAC Tournament championship.

McCabe piled up 94 draw controls in 2026, to go along with 60 ground balls and 49 caused turnovers. She led the conference in CTs, ranking second in draw controls and third in ground balls. McCabe anchored a Wingate defense that led the nation in caused turnovers per game, ranking second nationally in scoring defense. The junior was also instrumental in the nation's top draw control percentage team. She finished in the top 25 in the nation in CTs per game and ground balls per game.

In addition to her work on the field and in the classroom, McCabe has volunteered with Common Heart and with Julia's Learning Community. She has served with the Rocky River Nature Park project, along with Project Focus. McCabe is also a member of the Wingate Math Club.

College Sports Communicators Academic All-America® program

The College Sports Communicators (CSC) began the distinguished Academic All-America® program in 1952, and since then, have recognized thousands of deserving student-athletes from numerous sports across all divisions with these elite Academic All-America® scholar-athlete honors.
 
Currently, the CSC sponsors Academic All-America® programs for men's and women's soccer, football, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's tennis and men's and women's track and field/cross country. Many other sports are eligible through the at-large program.

The Academic All-America® program is comprised of divisional teams for NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA. Added for the 2018-19 academic year was a separate at-large program for two-year schools and Canadian institutions. Members at two-year schools, Canadian institutions and any other institution not affiliated with the NCAA or NAIA nominate their student-athletes in all sports during the spring nomination period.

For more information about the College Sports Communicators' Academic All-District® and Academic All-America® teams program, please visit AcademicAllAmerica.com or the Academic All-America® home page on CoSIDA.com.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Wingate University is a lab of difference-making that serves more than 3,600 students in North Carolina and offers 60 degree pathways, including 37 undergraduate majors, 9 pre-professional tracks and five dual-degree programs. Graduate students choose from seven master's and five doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education, and the School of Sport Sciences. 

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a leader in healthcare education where nearly one in five undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 30 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 18 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.

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