AUSTIN, Texas— Colorado Mesa University's Justin Thompson added yet another award to his already impressive resume as the most decorated Maverick track & field athlete in program history as he was named to the College Sports Communicators NCAA Division II Academic All-America® Team.

The Carbondale, Colorado native who has posted a perfect 4.0 GPA in both his undergraduate and graduate coursework in exercise science and athletic training at CMU was once again named to the first team.  He has now achieved that honor for three straight years after claiming second team honors in 2020-21, his first year of eligibility for the prestigious honors that recognize the nation's top student-athletes.

He is the only 4-time Academic All-American in Maverick track & field history and is one of the Mavs' three track & field Academic All-America® honorees this year after Josie Coffey and Jordan Burnett both earned the women's accolades on Tuesday.

Thompson also earned a program record seven U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association honors in the jumping events during his Maverick career.  Two of those honors came in 2024 as he finished 12^th in the long jump at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships to cap his jumping career.   He also had taken ninth at the national championships during the winter indoor season and won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title during that season.

Thompson also earned eight USTFCCCA All-Region and ten All-RMAC honors in his career.

He departs CMU as the program's record holder in both the outdoor (7.61 meters/24 feet, 11 ¾ inches)) and indoor (7.59 meters/24-11) long jump events and was named as the RMAC's Academic Athlete of the Year four times.

He also earned the RMAC's Male Honor-Student Athlete of the Year all-sports award in 2022 and received four RMAC Summit Awards.  Even more impressively, he won two NCAA Elite 90 awards for having the top grade point average of any man at the national championships.

For more information regarding the Academic All-America® program, visit https://academicallamerica.com/.