RICHMOND, Va. – VCU certainly knows its way to the winner's circle, both on the track and off of it.
 
The Rams, the Atlantic 10 Conference's reigning indoor champions, were crowned an All-Academic Team this week by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). In addition, four Rams were selected for individual honors.
 
The USTFCCA annually honors programs that post a 3.0 grade-point-average (on a 4.0 scale) or better. This year's team award is VCU's 11^th straight under Head Coach Jon Riley. The Rams wrapped up the 2025-26 academic year with a team GPA of 3.56.
 
Individually, senior Syndney Carr (Woodbridge, Va.), freshman Melissa Casiraghi (Agrate Brianza, Italy), junior Blanca Pereira (Ourense, Spain) and senior Asia Powell (Suffolk, Va.) received All-Academic Athlete awards for their outstanding seasons both in the classroom and on the field of competition.
 
Carr, a qualifier for the NCAA East First Round in the triple jump, leaped a personal-best 12.73 meters on the way to a runner-up finish this spring at the South Florida Invitational. She placed sixth in the event at the A-10 Indoor Championships, and eighth outdoors this year. She is majored in Information Systems.
 
Casiraghi, a freshman majoring in Business, quickly established as a force in the hammer and weight throws. She claimed second in the hammer at the A-10 outdoor meet and second in the weight throw at the indoor championships on her way to her first NCAA East First Round invitation.
 
Pereira earned All-Academic Athlete honors for the second straight year. A native of Spain majoring in Biology, Pereira captured an A-10 title in the hammer this spring and claimed silver during the indoor season in the weight throw. She later advanced to the NCAA East First Round for the second time.
 
Powell earned A-10 golds this year indoors in the 60-meter dash and outdoors as part of VCU's 4x100-meter relay team. She also grabbed third indoors in the 200 and fifth in the 100 outdoors for the Black and Gold. She majored in Health Services.