Greenwood, Ind. – 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, Lewis University senior
Denise Hernandez (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" Lewis University women's track & field head coach
Dana Schwarting 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 Lewis 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 Lewis University 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).
For the latest news, scores, and updates on Lewis women's track and field, visit LewisFlyers.com and follow the Flyers on social media at @lewisxctrack on Instagram.
