The Dordt University women's cross country team accounted for a program record 27 Scholar Athletes for the 2025 season announced by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

This is the third consecutive year 20-or-more Defenders earned the national academic honor.

The national office announced the complete list of Scholar Athletes for the fall season and Dordt led all institutions with 132 total honorees. Reinhardt (Ga.) was a distant second (86), followed by Marian (Ind.) with 85.

The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) led all conferences with 693 scholar athletes for the fall.

• NAIA Press Release | PDF
• Defenders Women's Soccer, All-Time List of Academic Honors |

In order to be nominated by an institution's head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, must appear on the eligibility certificate for the sport and have attended one full year at said institution.

Defenders who earned the honor for the third time (5):
Molly Hulstein
Ellie Janda
Courtney Joiner
Jessica Opfer
Abigail Ruse

Defenders who earned the honor for the second time (9):
Jada Abrahamson
Jaci Burtis
Jeni Burtis
Addison Essebaggers
Olivia Graber
Jada Koerner
Emma Morey
Adriana Van Maanen
Isabella Webb

Defenders who earned the honor for the first time (13):
Corinne Braun
Megan Courtright
Addy Crow
Arielle DeYoung
Kadence Driesen
Olivia Hoogland
Jenna Hursh
Olivia Kraayenbrink
Sophie Memmelaar
Eden Sullivan
Hope Tebben
Hannah Thong
Taylor VanderGriend