AUSTIN, Texas – University of Central Missouri Jennies track & field student-athlete Kayla Goodwin has been named a College Sports Communicators First Team Academic All-American® for her success in competition and in the classroom during the 2023-24 athletic year, the organization announced Tuesday, July 9.

This is Goodwin's third-career First Team Academic All-America® honor, as she also received the award in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

A native of Hamilton, New Zealand, Goodwin graduated with a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology and a perfect 4.0 GPA in May 2024.

During the 2023-24 track & field season, Goodwin collected four First Team All-American accolades to raise her UCM career total to 13.

In 2023-24 indoor season, she was the national runner-up in the indoor pentathlon and finished eighth in the triple jump before finishing fourth in the triple jump and eighth in the heptathlon during the 2024 outdoor season.

She won both the pentathlon and heptathlon MIAA titles and received All-MIAA honors in five events in 2023-24. In addition, Goodwin was named the 2023-24 Dr. Peggy Martin UCM Senior Female Athlete of the Year and the 2023-24 MIAA Women's Indoor Championship High Point Award winner – her second straight indoor high point honor.

 The Division II Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2023-24 Division II Academic All-America® program.