CLEVELAND -- The Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CCA) announced that Duncan Fuehne (Colorado School of Mines, RMAC) and Auna Childress (Pittsburg State University, MIAA) have been selected as the 2022-23 Scholar-Athletes of the Year.

Fuehne, a member of the men's cross country and track and field teams for the Orediggers, carried a 3.98 GPA as a physics major. Childress, a member of the women's track and field team for the Gorillas, carried a 3.81 GPA as a nursing major. Both Fuehne and Childress were also recognized earlier this week amongst the 17 regional scholar-athlete winners, selected by the D2 CCA. To view a complete list of regional winners for both men and women, CLICK HERE.

"It is an honor to recognize the D2 CCA Scholar-Athletes of the Year and regional award recipients," stated D2 CCA President Jay Poerner, commissioner of the Lone Star Conference. "These deserving winners represent the very best of Division II and exemplify what it means to be a true scholar-athlete." 

Duncan Fuehne, Colorado School of Mines
As a senior in 2022-23, Fuehne was a repeat first-team honoree after a decorated year in competition. Fuehne finished third at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships to help the Mines win the team title. He placed ninth in the NCAA indoor 5,000m, eighth in the NCAA outdoor 5K, and ninth in the outdoor 10K to be All-American four times this past year. Fuehne's USTFCCCA First-Team All-America honors in the fall was accompanied by first team All- America honors in the 5,000m outdoors and second-team All-America honors in indoor 5,000m and outdoor 10,000m.

Fuehne walked away this year with several academic achievements including the men's NCAA Elite 90 winner in cross country. A three-season All-American in 2022-23, he was the 2021 and 2022 RMAC Cross Country Academic Runner of the Year. Fuehne also repeated his USTFCCA All-Academic, CSC First-Team Academic All-America, RMAC Sholar-Athlete of the Year, and D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award.

In his career, Fuehne earned the 2023 Blaster Awards as Mines' co-male academic athlete of the year and the 2021 RMAC Freshman of the Year.

Auna Childress, Pittsburg State
As a junior for the Gorillas this past year, Childress swept the women's triple jump event, capturing the national title at the 2023 NCAA Division II Indoor and Outdoor National Championships. She broke the Division II record in the women's triple jump with a mark of 13.37 meters (43-10 ½) at outdoor nationals. Earlier in the season, Childress bounded a wind-aided 13.47 meters (44-2 ½) for the third-furthest all-conditions mark in NCAA Division II history. Furthermore, she was crowned a two-time MIAA Champion in 2023, winning the triple jump at both the MIAA indoor and outdoor championships as well as All-MIAA honors with a third-place finish in the long jump at both the indoor and outdoor championships.

In addition to her historic season on the track, Childress earned First-Team Academic All-America for women's cross country/track and field, the MIAA Ken B. Jones award as the conference's female student athlete of the year, D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award, MIAA Scholar-Athlete honors in each of the last three seasons, and MIAA Academic honor roll each year.

Outside of her sport and the classroom, Childress has committed to over 100 hours of volunteer service to the Salvation Army and serves as a volunteer coach for area high school students.

About D2 CCA: Initiated in 1992 to promote its member conferences and institutions, D2 CCA has made its mark in providing a united front for NCAA Division II athletics. Created after the break-up of the College Division Commissioners Association, the D2 CCA continues to create lines of communication and opportunities for its member conferences. The D2 CCA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 59^th year. For more information on NACDA and the 18 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.