2026 CSC Academic All-America Team
 
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock University junior Nicole Kempton was named to the 2025-26 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Team, the organization announced Tuesday with the unveiling of its women's tennis honorees.
 
Kempton, a native of South Park, Pennsylvania, earned first team CSC Academic All-America accolades.
 
Tuesday's announcement marks the second consecutive year in which Kempton has made the CSC Academic All-America Team: she was a third team honoree in 2024-25. She was one of just two student-athletes from the Atlantic Region to make the team along with Fairmont State's Hope Backx.
 
The CSC Academic All-America Team, selected by CSC, the governing body of college sports information directors, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances in the athletic realm and in the classroom.
 
In order to be named to the CSC Academic All-America team, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore academically and in athletic eligibility, own a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50, have significant athletic credentials and be a CSC Academic All-District selection.
 
Not only does Kempton carry a perfect 4.00 GPA after completing 112 hours as a public health major, she also earned first team All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division honors in 2026 in both singles and doubles competition.
 
In addition to maintaining her flawless GPA in the classroom, 2025-26 was another outstanding year athletically for the multi-time All-PSAC West performer.
 
In singles competition, Kempton compiled a 20-6 (.769) overall record including a 13-4 mark out of The Rock's third flight. She partnered with Alissia Kivi in doubles play to form the No. 45 ranked pairing in Division II. The duo registered a 21-12 overall record, taking runner-up honors at the ITA Atlantic Region Championships and qualifying for the ITA Cup.
 
To go with her national doubles ranking, Kempton was also positioned seventh in the ITA Atlantic Region singles rankings. Further accolades for Kempton, who was one of eight student-athletes to make the CSC Academic All-America Team with a 4.00 GPA, included being named the PSAC Women's Tennis Champion Scholar.
 
Kempton helped to lead Slippery Rock to one of the best seasons in program history. The Rock compiled a 16-4 overall record while advancing to the NCAA Tournament's Round of 16 for a second consecutive season and a year-end national ranking of No. 24. SRU won the PSAC Tournament championship and its 16 wins tied this year's team for the seventh most victories in a single season in program history.
 
Entering her senior year in 2026-27, Kempton is already a six-time All-PSAC West honoree who ranks 12th in program history for career wins with 118 while also possessing a .714 career singles winning percentage (55-22) and a .543 doubles winning percentage. (63-53).
 
Slippery Rock women's tennis has had four athletes earn CSC Academic All-America honors throughout the program's history in Kempton, Ella Reilly (2002-03), Janelle Krantz (2011-12 / 2012-13) and Adriana Gonzalez Sanchez (2021-22, 2022-23).
 
Kempton becomes the 153rd Academic All-America honoree at Slippery Rock since the awards program began in 1970. Entering the 2025-26 academic year, SRU ranked sixth among all NCAA Division II institutions in total Academic All-America selections and 37th all-time across the entire NCAA.
 
Of The Rock's 153 Academic All-Americans, Kempton is the 37th SRU student-athlete to earn the honor multiple times.
 
The full list of The Rock's all-time honorees is available HERE.





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