RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The Southland Conference (SLC) announced the 2025 Men's and Women's Cross Country All-Academic Teams and Student-Athletes of the Year on Thursday, and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) had four Vaqueros recognized. 
 
Senior Abraham Morales and sophomore Nirmit Dahiya made the men's All-Academic Team. Riley Elliott from Stephen F. Austin was named the Men's Student-Athlete of the Year. 
 
Junior N Vanee Anchike and senior Lilliana Guerrero represented UTRGV on the women's All-Academic Team, which was headlined by Women's Student-Athlete of the Year, Alicia Finnis of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. 

To be eligible for the All-Academic teams, student-athletes must have at least a 3.25 cumulative GPA with at least one semester completed at the nominating institution and have competed in at least 50% of the team's meets. Student-Athletes of the Year must have at least a 3.50 cumulative GPA. 
 
Dahiya and Morales led the Vaqueros men's team at the SLC Cross Country Championships, placing 24^th and 35^th, respectively. Both ran personal bests in the 8K race and Dahiya's time of 24:08.00 tied the fourth-best 8K race in UTRGV history. Dahiya is studying kinesiology. Morales, a team captain, graduated in December with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management.
 
Anchike, a communication student, was named the SLC Women's Newcomer of the Year after finishing ninth at the SLC Cross Country Championships, earning All-Conference Second Team honors. She led the Vaqueros at the NCAA South Central Regional, taking 30^th in 21:20.1. Anchike ran two of the top 10 6K races in program history in the 2025 season. 
 
Guerrero was 16^th at the conference meet, running a personal best in the 6K to help UTRGV's women's team finish third, earning their best team finish at a conference meet since 2010. Guerrero opened her season with a 5K personal best and was 94^th at the regional meet, helping the Vaqueros move up to 14^th in the South Central women's team rankings. She is studying English with a concentration in rhetoric, composition and literature. 
 
2025 SLC Cross Country All-Academic Awards
Men's Student-Athlete of the Year – Riley Elliott, SFA
Women's Student-Athlete of the Year – Alicia Finnis, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
 
Men's All-Academic Team  
Nirmit Dahiya, UTRGV
Abraham Morales, UTRGV 
Christian James, East Texas A&M
Gavin Almaguer, Houston Christian University
Jaxon Artisst, Houston Christian University
Raphael Aureau, Houston Christian University
Colby Kurtz, Houston Christian University
Leandre Lahalle, Houston Christian University
Kevin Hernandez, UIW
Erin Pineda, UIW
Ethan Malesich, UIW
Kenny Bibb, Lamar
Luke Parker, Lamar
Ryan Servantes, Lamar
Riley Trent, Lamar
Owen Kirkland, McNeese
Samuel Serrano, McNeese
Nathan Waller, McNeese
James Boutte, McNeese
Gregory Martin, McNeese
Mason Appleton, New Orleans
William Bellina, Nicholls
Alex Hartline, Nicholls
Ty Frazier, Nicholls
Brady Sins, Nicholls
Chase Walker, Nicholls
John Klein, Northwestern State
Tanner Salsman, Southeastern
D'Juan Joseph, Southeastern
Riley Elliott, SFA
Ryan Binskin, SFA
Sam Golla, SFA
Lathan Lewter, SFA
Andrew Mullen, SFA
Kyle Lowth, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Diego Canto, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Ewan Wheelwright, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
 
Women's All-Academic Team
N Vanee Anchike, UTRGV
Lilliana Guerrero, UTRGV
Edith Martinez, East Texas A&M
Haleigh Risner, East Texas A&M
Reyes Carrera, Houston Christian University
Jazlynn Estrada, Houston Christian University
Cara Gary, Houston Christian University
Noelle Huijser, Houston Christian University
Destiny Quintanilla, Houston Christian University
Stoya Laydevant, UIW
Dianett Garcia, UIW
Emily Torres, UIW
Sophia Keiser, UIW
Ashton Rainey, Lamar
Claire Bibb, Lamar
Anna Eischen, Lamar
Lauren Polk, Lamar
Jeny Barcenas, McNeese
Elsa Moore, McNeese
Grace French, McNeese
Edyn Hill, McNeese
Uxue Castro-Martin, McNeese
Anais Sulpice, New Orleans
Petra Imre, New Orleans
Michela Papalia, New Orleans
Isabella Sejihouwer, Nicholls
Kalynn Beacom, Nicholls
Lotte Aerts, Nicholls
Anne De Jong, Nicholls
Ana Learn Cartes, Nicholls
Lalaina Wood, Northwestern State
Ava Pitarro, Southeastern
Callie Arthur, Southeastern
JoAnna Cornette, Southeastern
Nikola Vimmerova, Southeastern
Gertrude Lamb, SFA
Garance Dubray, SFA
Gracycee Wilson, SFA
Keara Zver, SFA
Alicia Finnis, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Neele Heyne, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Embla Hreimsdottier, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Sharon Jemeli, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Abbey Coverly, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

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