KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced its 2026 NAIA Scholar-Athletes for spring sports, and Dalton State was well represented as nine Roadrunners earned the prestigious academic honor.
 
"Earning NAIA Scholar-Athlete recognition takes consistent discipline, time management and commitment," Athletic Director Ben Rickett said. "We're proud of these nine student-athletes for representing Dalton State with excellence academically and athletically."
 
Recognized each semester, the NAIA Scholar-Athlete program celebrates student-athletes who excel in the classroom while competing at a high level in their sport. This year's spring list includes honorees across baseball, softball, golf, lacrosse, track & field, tennis, flag football, beach volleyball, and men's volleyball, highlighting the breadth of academic achievement throughout the NAIA landscape.
 
To qualify as an NAIA Scholar-Athlete, a student must meet strict standards: maintain a minimum cumulative 3.5 GPA (4.0 scale), appear on the eligibility certificate for their sport, and have attended their institution for at least one full year. The result is a national group of student-athletes who reflect the NAIA's emphasis on competitive excellence and academic success.
 
NATIONAL HONOR AND A DALTON STATE STANDARD
The 2026 NAIA spring scholar-athlete list underscores just how competitive the recognition is. Nationally, several institutions with exceedingly more sport offerings than the Roadrunners stood out with large totals, led by Dordt (Iowa) with 125 honorees, followed closely by Marian (Ind.), Doane (Neb.), and Concordia (Neb.), each with totals near or above 95 selections.
 
Other programs with strong representation included Indiana Wesleyan, Reinhardt (Ga.), and Indiana Tech, a snapshot of institutions where academic performance is deeply woven into the student-athlete experience.
 
Sport-by-sport totals were equally impressive, with baseball (1,333), women's track & field (1,219), softball (1,199), and men's track & field (1,029) each surpassing 1,000 honorees. Golf and tennis followed with several hundred selections, while men's volleyball (237) and women's beach volleyball (148) rounded out the spring sports list.
 
At the conference level, the Heart of America Athletic Conference (711) and Great Plains Athletic Conference (683) led the way, with the Crossroads League (625) and Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (506) close behind.
 
Several others landed in the 400 range, while the Frontier Conference (344) and The Sun Conference (340) both topped 300. Against that national backdrop, Dalton State's nine honorees reflect a culture of commitment, one that values the full student-athlete experience.
 
Dalton State 2026 NAIA Spring Scholar-Athletes
Men's Golf (3)

• Barrett Loftis – Sophomore
• Dylan John – Sophomore
• Joseph Getley – Sophomore

Women's Golf (3)

• Jia Kataria – Junior
• Tara Phipps – Senior
• Tylah James – Sophomore

Women's Track & Field (3)

• Elizabeth McGhee – Junior
• Kylie Gray – Sophomore
• Madison Todd – Junior

BALANCED EXCELLENCE
With honorees spread across men's golf, women's golf, and women's track & field, Dalton State's spring scholar-athletes demonstrate the kind of balanced excellence the NAIA recognition is designed to spotlight, student-athletes who manage demanding schedules, travel and training commitments, and the daily discipline required to maintain elite academic performance.
 
The Roadrunners' nine selections also represent more than individual achievement. They are a reflection of a shared standard, teammates pushing one another, coaches reinforcing academic accountability, and a campus environment that supports performance in every arena.
 
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