AUSTIN, Texas — Six Tusculum University student-athletes have been named to the 2026 NCAA Division II Women’s At-Large Academic All-District® 3 first team, as selected by the College Sports Communicators.
Earning Academic All-District® Women’s At-Large honors for Tusculum are: golfers Reagan Padilla and Delfin Filiz; beach volleyball players Brynn Smith and Jordyn Anderson; as well as lacrosse standouts Liberty Jones and Jessie Carolin-Vandenberg.
The 2026 Academic All-District® Women’s At-Large Team recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances for the following NCAA sports: beach volleyball, bowling, crew/rowing, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing and water polo.
District 3 is comprised of colleges and universities representing the South Atlantic Conference, Peach Belt Conference and Conference Carolinas. To be eligible, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 (undergraduate and graduate) or higher and must be at least a sophomore. Nominees must compete in 90 percent of the institution’s games played or start in at least 66 percent of the institution’s contests. For beach volleyball, nominees must compete in 70 percent of their team’s games.
Padilla, a junior from Gallatin, Tennessee, returns to the CSC Academic All-District team for a third straight year. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree last month where she graduated with cum laude distinction. She finished with a 3.78 GPA while majoring in sports science. She is a member of the SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Dean’s List, Charles Oliver Gray Honors List and the Tusculum Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. She is a two-time recipient of the Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award and is a four-time Women’s Golf Coaches’ Association All-America Scholar.
Padilla led the Pioneers this year with her 76.04 stroke average as she qualified for all nine tournaments where she recorded three top-20 performances including two in the top-five. She was named the 2026 SAC Women’s Golf Scholar Athlete of the Year, becoming the fourth Pioneer to achieve the feat.
During her four years with the Pioneers, she posted a 76.30 career stroke average, which is the second lowest in school history. She played in a TU-record 96 career rounds and finished in the top-20 on 25 occasions which are tied for the fourth-most by a Pioneer. She also recorded 19 top-10 finishes (4th in TU history) including 13 times in the top-five (T2nd in TU history).
Padilla claimed individual medalist honors twice during her collegiate career, winning the 2023 King Invitational and the 2024 Converse Invitational. She twice earned SAC All-Tournament honors in 2024 and 2025. In 2025, she qualified as an individual competitor at the NCAA Division II South Region Championship. She established a Tusculum record by finishing in the top-20 in 22 consecutive tournaments.
Filiz, a junior from Istanbul, Turkey, has a 3.83 GPA while majoring in exercise science. She is a member of the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, Dean’s List, Charles Oliver Gray Honors List and the SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll. She is a WGCA All-America Scholar and was the 2025 recipient of the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award.
Filiz finished second on the team with her 78.74 scoring average as she qualified for all nine tournaments and led the Pioneers with her five top-20 finishes. She recorded 23 rounds with her best finish coming as the Agnes McAmis Memorial where she placed 10th. She was TU’s top finisher at the SAC Championship as she finished 12th with a 54-hole total 228. Her career scoring average of 80.28 is currently the 12th-lowest in program history.
Smith, a junior from Wellburg, Iowa, returns to the CSC Academic All-District At-Large team for a second consecutive year. She has a 3.84 GPA and is majoring in sport science and pre-physical therapy. She is a member of the SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Dean’s List, Charles Oliver Gray Honors List and the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. In 2025, she received the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award.
Smith is a two-time All-South Atlantic Conference Carolinas honoree, garnering second team honors this spring. She finished the year with a 15-21 overall record including 7-3 in league play. Her 47 career wins are currently ranked seventh-most by a Pioneer.
Anderson, a native from Overland Park, Kansas, earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sport Science in May. She finished with a 3.53 GPA and is a member of the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, Dean’s List, Charles Oliver Gray Honors List and the SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll. She is a recipient of the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award.
Anderson owned a 12-19 overall record including 4-4 in conference action. In her two seasons, she recorded 16 victories and helped the Pioneers to a runner-up finish at the SACC Championship.
Carolin-Vandenberg is a two-time CSC Academic All-District honoree and graduated from Tusculum in May with her Bachelor of Science degree. She garnered magna cum laude distinction with her 3.91 GPA while majoring in environmental science. The Yarraville, Victoria, Australia native is a member of the President’s List, Charles Oliver Gray Honors List, Dean’s List and SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll. She is a two-time recipient of the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award.
In 2026, she was an All-SAC third team selection as she started in all 18 games as a midfielder. She accounted for 30 goals with an assist for her 31 points. She posted a team-best 51 ground balls while causing a TU-best 21 turnovers. During her 67-game career, she has totaled 61 goals and eight assists for her 69 points. She has recorded 141 career ground balls and logged 71 caused turnovers.
Jones, a product of Columbus, Indiana, earned her Bachelor of Science degree last month, garnering summa cum laude honors. She posted a 3.90 GPA and majored in psychology where she was a member of the SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, President’s List, Dean’s List, Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and the Charles Oliver Gray Honors List. She is also a D2ADA Academic Achievement Award recipient.
Jones started in all 18 games and finished third on the team with her 39 points including 22 goals and 17 assists. She also notched 24 ground ball, caused 13 turnovers and won 19 draw controls. During her three seasons at Tusculum, she accounted for 60 goals, 26 assists, 86 points, 64 ground balls, 78 draw controls and caused 27 turnovers.
The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes women’s at-large honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA. Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced July 7, 2026.
The Division II and III CSC Academic All-America® programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2025-2026 Divisions II and III Academic All-America® programs.
