CANTON, Ga. — The Division III Commissioners Association (DIIICA) has named Rabbit Barnes and Alison Mueller-Hickler the 2025-26 Men's and Women's Sport Athletes of the Year, respectively, recognizing two Colorado College and Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) student-athletes whose accomplishments exemplify the Division III model of excellence in athletics, academics, leadership and community engagement.

The two emerged as the national winners from a pool of regional honorees which were announced earlier this month.

Rabbit Barnes — Men's Sport Athlete of the Year
A neuroscience major who graduated with an outstanding 3.972 GPA, Barnes combined national-level success in track and field and cross country with academic achievement, mentorship, leadership and community service.

Barnes was the 2026 NCAA Indoor National Runner-Up and All-American in the mile, adding another national honor to an accomplished career. He was named the 2025 SCAC Track Athlete of the Year and is a six-time individual SCAC Track & Field Champion. He also holds the SCAC conference record in the 800 meters and Colorado College school records in seven events.

His success extended to the regional level, where Barnes earned five All-West Region selections in track and field.

In cross country, Barnes was a 2025 NCAA national qualifier and a two-time West Region honoree while helping Colorado College capture four SCAC team championships.

Barnes' excellence in competition was matched by his performance in the classroom. He was named a 2025 First Team Academic All-American in Track & Field/Cross Country by College Sports Communicators (CSC) and was a three-time CSC Academic All-District honoree. He also earned 2025 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Team honors and was a four-time SCAC Academic Honor Roll recipient.

His academic work culminated in receiving Distinction in Neuroscience for Exceptional Thesis Work for his research involving the computational modeling of a drug's effects in a simulated human brain.

Barnes also dedicated significant time to supporting the academic success of others. He worked as a Colorado College Writing Tutor for more than three years and, during his senior year, added Educating Children of Color SAT Tutor to his service and mentorship work.

His commitment to his community included participation in the Monument Creek Cleanup, helping maintain community green spaces, as well as serving as a Neuroscience Outreach Volunteer, where he helped prepare posters and demonstrations designed to teach elementary school students about neurons and the human brain.

From 2022-24, Barnes served as a volunteer trail maintenance crew leader, leading five-day backpacking trips in the White Mountains to maintain and build Appalachian Mountain Club trails alongside young men. He taught participants to safely use tools, planned and executed expeditions, and led trail work shifts.

Barnes also demonstrated leadership on campus and within Colorado College Athletics. He served as captain of the Track & Field and Cross Country teams during his senior season and spent three summers as a director of the Camp Pasquaney sailing program and backpack trip leader. He was also an active member of the Clay Club, Freeride Club and Dance Workshop.

Together, Barnes' athletic, academic and service accomplishments represent a career defined by achievement and a commitment to positively impacting those around him.
 
Alison Mueller-Hickler — Women's Sport Athlete of the Year
Mueller-Hickler graduated from Colorado College with a 3.913 GPA, majoring in Environmental Science with a minor in History. A standout in both cross country and track and field, she established herself as one of the nation's premier distance runners while making significant contributions to environmental research, student leadership and campus life.

Mueller-Hickler capped her cross country career with an outstanding 2025 season, finishing 26th at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship to earn All-American honors. She was named the 2025 West Region Champion and West Region Runner of the Year, as well as the 2025 SCAC Champion and SCAC Runner of the Year.

A four-time NCAA Cross Country Championship qualifier, Mueller-Hickler helped Colorado College win four SCAC team championships. She was a four-time SCAC All-Conference selection and earned three All-West Region honors. She also holds the Colorado College school record in the cross country 5K.

On the track, Mueller-Hickler earned 2026 NCAA Outdoor First Team All-American honors in the 10,000 meters after finishing seventh. She previously earned Second Team All-American honors in the event in 2025 after placing 10th.

She was a member of the 2026 and 2025 NCAA West Regional teams in the outdoor 5,000 and 10,000 meters, as well as the 2024 West Regional team in the 10,000 meters. Indoors, she earned 2026 West Regional honors in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters.

Mueller-Hickler was a two-time SCAC 10,000-meter champion, winning the event in 2024 and 2026, and helped Colorado College capture the 2024 SCAC Outdoor Track and Field Team Championship. She was also a two-time SCAC All-Conference selection in the 5,000 meters and a two-time honoree in the 10,000 meters.

She leaves Colorado College as the school record holder in the outdoor 10,000 meters, indoor 3,000 meters and indoor 5,000 meters. She became the first woman in Colorado College history to break 35 minutes in the 10,000 meters and the first woman at the institution to run under 10 minutes in the indoor 3,000 meters.

Mueller-Hickler's athletic accomplishments also earned recognition from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, which named her a 2026 NSCA All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete.

Her academic accomplishments were equally impressive. Mueller-Hickler was named to the CSC Academic All-District Team in 2024 and 2025 and was a four-time SCAC Honor Roll recipient. In 2025, she received the Crown Goodman Presidential Scholarship, recognizing students with exemplary academic records and significant contributions to the total life of the college.

During her senior year, Mueller-Hickler received Department Distinction in Environmental Science after completing a thesis on Playa Wetland Mapping in the San Luis Valley. The project sought to provide communities with greater autonomy in identifying threats to local biodiversity and ecosystems and was cited in an ERA Grant.

Her commitment to environmental education and research extended beyond the classroom. She completed the Earth Law Center's Signature Summer Course in 2025 after earning a full scholarship and also participated in the NSF-funded PROGRESS Women in Geosciences Conference, which provides professional and peer mentoring to undergraduate women interested in the geosciences.

Mueller-Hickler made an extensive contribution to the Colorado College community through her work with State of the Rockies, where she served as a Project Assistant and Student Researcher from 2023 through 2026. She also served as Lead Student Editor of the Anthropogenic Magazine, helping produce a publication highlighting student research in partnership with the Hewlett Foundation.

Within athletics, Mueller-Hickler served as Cross Country team captain during her senior year and was a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee officer for two years.

Her broad contributions to Colorado College were recognized when she received the 2026 Laura Golden Award, presented annually to the outstanding female senior student-athlete who demonstrates excellence in athletics, academics and leadership.

About the DIIICA: The Division III Commissioners Association became a stand-alone organization in January 1992, after previously serving as a combined group with the Division II Commissioners Association. The association is comprised of 43 NCAA Division III conferences, representing over 440 public and private institutions. The purpose of the DIIICA is to empower commissioners to effectively lead their conferences and positively impact Division III intercollegiate athletics by identifying challenges, developing solutions, and taking collective action that reflects the conference perspective.