The four have been honored with Academic All-District awards from the College Sports Communicators, which says it recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom, according to a recent news release from NMU Sports Information.

They are senior Makaylee Kuhn, junior Ana Rhude and sophomores Sarah Newcomer and CJ Romero.

These district-level honorees also advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot, with first-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees to be announced for women’s players on April 16.

The CSC separately recognizes players from all three NCAA divisions plus the NAIA.

Northern Michigan University’s Ana Rhude, front left, goes up for a shot while being defended by Michigan Tech's Tessa Leece, back left, and Sara Dax during their GLIAC women’s basketball game played at the Berry Events Center in Marquette on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024. Leece is a Huskies senior and Westwood High School graduate. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

Kuhn, a native of Hilbert, Wisconsin, holds a perfect 4.0 grade-point average majoring in environmental studies.

She was named to the All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team for the fourth straight season and made the GLIAC All-Tournament team, too.

Kuhn was also named to the All-Midwest Region Second Team by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association as she became the first Wildcats women’s basketball player to break the 2,000-point barrier, doing so in her final game to end up with 2,005. On Jan. 11, she broke the program record of 1,699 points previously held by Lisa (Jamula) Maki, who played for NMU from 1988-91.

Kuhn started all 32 games for Northern, which finished with a 22-10 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II national tournament after a win over Kentucky Wesleyan in its opening game.

She led the GLIAC in scoring at 16.7 points per game.

Rhude, a resident of Sussex, Wisconsin, has a 3.76 GPA in nursing.

She was named to the GLIAC Defensive Team for the second consecutive season while starting all 30 games she participated in. Rhude averaged 6.5 ppg and 5.3 rebounds per contest, also making 46 blocked shots to set the program record of 141.

Rhude also tied an NMU women’s record for most made field goals in a game without a miss when she went 8 of 8 on Feb. 7 against Michigan Tech, in the process scoring a career-high 16 points that went with nine rebounds.

Newcomer, of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, has a 3.94 GPA in business.

She played in all 32 games this season, starting 25, and was third on the Wildcats in scoring at 7.8 ppg and second on the team in 3-pointers with 48 made.

Newcomer scored in double figures 11 times, including a career-high 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting and 5-of-7 on triples against Saginaw Valley State on Dec. 9.

Romero, from Brookfield, Wisconsin, has a 3.89 GPA in marketing.

She played in 28 games, starting 10 of them, and totaled 80 points, 51 rebounds and 50 assists. Romero put in her career high of 10 points against Wisconsin-Parkside on Jan. 10, and also recorded multiple assists in 14 games with a high of six vs. Ferris State on Feb. 1.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.