Seven East Texas A&M University Track and Field student-athletes were named to the Southland Conference All-Academic Team on Wednesday afternoon, including Romi Griese, who earns the honor of Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Student-Athlete of the Year.
The seven honorees for the Lions are Jonas Gran (Riehen, Switzerland), Philip Krenek (Prague, Czech Republic), and Armani Modeste (Castries, Saint Lucia) on the men’s side as well as Griese (Salzkotten, Germany), Veronika Kramarenko (Zaporizhzhia Gymnasium No.50), Leah Pettis (McKinney – North), and Blessing Samuel (Ghana) on the women’s side.
Griese was elected as the Women’s Outdoor Student-Athlete of the Year. She holds a perfect 4.0 grade point average with a major in biological science. She won the discus championship at the 2025 Outdoor SLC Championships, while also being named to the president’s list and the SLC Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
She is the first Lion student-athlete to earn the Academic Athlete of the Year award since joining the SLC and the first academic athlete of the of the year for the track & field program since 2021-22.
Kramarenko won the high jump conference championship at the outdoor championships and is a health, kinesiology & sport studies major. She is also named to the President’s List and the SLC Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
Pettis is a psychology major and won the indoor 200 meter dash. She is a dean’s list and SLC Commissioner’s Honor Roll honoree.
Samuel was named the indoor Newcomer of the Year after earning a bronze medal at the indoor championships and silver at the outdoor championships. She is a computer information systems major.
For the Lion men, Gran was a silver medalist in the decathlon at the outdoor championships. He is a biological sciences major and a SLC Commissioner’s Honor Roll and President’s List recipient.
Krenek won the outdoor 4×400 meter dash and is also a dean’s list and SLC Commissioner’s Honor Roll recipient. He is majoring in sport & recreation management.
Modeste was named the SLC Newcomer of the Year at the outdoor championships after being a part of the conference winning 4×100 and 4×400 meter relays. He also finished fourth in the 200 meter dash. He is a business administration major, having being named to the dean’s list and the SLC Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
Southland Conference All-Academic Teams are voted upon by the head coach, sports information director and an academic/compliance staff member from each school. Student-Athletes of the Year are voted upon by an awards committee which consists of one administrator from each member school. Voting for one’s own athletes is not permitted.
To be eligible for all-academic distinction, an athlete must hold a minimum 3.25 cumulative grade point average through the semester prior to the sport’s championship, completed at least one full academic semester at the nominating school prior to nomination, and participated in at least 50 percent of the team’s competitions during the most recently completed season. Student-Athlete of the Year nominees must have held at least a 3.50 GPA and have completed at least two years of athletic competition at the nominating school, including the current season.
First Team All-Conference athletes who meet all-academic nomination criteria are automatically named all-academic.
SOUTHLAND MEN’S TRACK & FIELD ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Men’s Indoor Track & Field Student-Athlete of the Year: Edouard Lecrivain, HCU
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Student-Athlete of the Year: Edouard Lecrivain, HCU
Jonas Gran, East Texas A&M
Phillip Krenek, East Texas A&M*
Armani Modeste, East Texas A&M*
Josh-Gillis Harry, HCU
Denzel Hinds, HCU
Leandre Lahalle, HCU
Edouard Lecrivain, HCU*
Leo Chauchard, UIW*
Austin Davisson, UIW
Mika Funck, UIW
Griffin Neal, UIW
Thomas Knoop, Lamar*
Anthony Oliver, Lamar*
Llyod Sheppard-Brown, Lamar*
Freddy Richardson, Lamar*
Daryl Bachman, New Orleans
Gary Sandrock, New Orleans
William Bellina, Nicholls
William Achee, Northwestern State*
Bruce Boon, Northwestern State
Donroy Brown, Southeastern
Terrell Webb, Southeastern*
Semion Brodski, SFA
Riley Elliott, SFA
Alex Del Popolo, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Philip Jensen e Castro, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi*
Keamonie Archie, UTRGV
SOUTHLAND WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE
Women’s Indoor Track & Field Student-Athlete of the Year: Madison Brown, Northwestern State
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Student-Athlete of the Year: Romi Griese, East Texas A&M
Romi Griese, East Texas A&M*
Veronika Kramarenko, East Texas A&M*
Leah Pettis, East Texas A&M*
Blessing Samuel, East Texas A&M
Eline Mast, HCU*
Mariam Bunanueva-Saleme, Lamar*
Annabel Hobday, Lamar*
Emma Powell, Lamar*
Ashton Rainey, Lamar*
Neelie Schiel, Lamar*
Kayla Smith, Lamar*
Emma Bourg, New Orleans
Madison Brown, Northwestern State*
Sileena Farrell, Northwestern State*
Kalli Knott, Northwestern State*
Dynia Lewis, Northwestern State*
Teodora Samac, Northwestern State
Maygan Shaw, Northwestern State*
Raven-Symone Jarrett, Northwestern State*
Shakera Williams, Northwestern State*
Esther Nwanze, Southeastern*
Valentine Jemutai, SFA*
Alicia Finnis, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi*
Emily Malouf, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi*
Samantha Gonzalez, UTRGV*
Hannah Hilding, UTRGV*
Efe Latham, UTRGV
Kailey Salazar, UTRGV*
* – Automatic Selection (First Team All-Conference)
Article source and photo credit: East Texas A&M Lion Athletics
