Central College triathlete and women’s golf standout Thea Lunning has been named to the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-America® Women’s At-Large Team.

A biology major, Lunning was a third-team selection that graduated with a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA. She will begin optometry school at the University of Memphis in the fall.

After transferring to Central in 2021, Lunning was a two-time American Rivers All-Conference honoree in women’s golf, finishing second in the league tournament at Ames last fall after placing second a year earlier. She helped lead Central to the conference title and a berth in the NCAA Division III Championships in Florida May 9-12, where the Dutch tied for 22nd place. Lunning shared the team’s Maurine Timmer Most Valuable Player Award after winning the Newcomer of the Year Award the previous season. She is a two-time American Rivers Academic All-Conference honoree as well as a two-time WGCA All-American Scholar.

Lunning also competed on the national stage in triathlon, lettering twice. She was a two-time USA Triathlon College Championships participant, placing 28th in Division III in 2021 and 29th this past fall while competing for the Dutch in Tempe, Arizona on November 12th.

Lunning is the second Central student-athlete to receive CSC Academic All-America® recognition in the past two days as wrestler Greg Linahon was named a second-team men’s at-large pick Wednesday.

Central has now had 68 student-athletes named to a CSC Academic All-American® team.

The women’s at-large squad is for athletes competing in sports other than volleyball, cross country/track and field, basketball or softball. To be eligible for consideration, a starter must be a starter or key reserve and carry a minimum of a 3.50 cumulative grade point average. The elite squad is selected by the CSC membership from a ballot including all CSC Academic All-District honorees. The Division III program is financially supported by the NCAA Division III national governance structure.