MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-River Falls' Annika Gunderson has been named the recipient of the 2026 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women's Indoor Track & Field Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award.
 
A senior from Forest Lake, Minn. (Forest Lake), Gunderson is pursuing a master's degree in special education. She earned an undergraduate degree in Spanish education and elementary education and maintained a 4.00 grade point average, graduating with Suma Cum Lade honors. Gunderson secured a spot on the 2024 and 2025 NCAA Division III Academic All-District® Women's Track & Field/Cross Country First Team, as well as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Team both years. She is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and been recognized on UW-River Falls' Dean's List numerous semesters. Gunderson received the UW-River Falls Chancellors Award in spring 2025 and earned academic scholarships.
 
Gunderson is a two-time All-America Second Team honoree and a three-time USTFCCCA All-North Region selection. She was the runner-up in the pole vault at the 2024 WIAC Indoor Track & Field Championships, took third in 2025 and tied for fourth this year. A three-year team captain, Gunderson was named the team MVP in 2024 and 2025, and is the program record holder in the pole vault.
 
Gunderson is a member of the National Honor Society, UW-River Falls' Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Intervarsity. She has worked as a substitute teacher, pole vault coach for a track club, waitress and at the Falcon Center. Gunderson has studied abroad on two occasions and volunteered as an official for high school meets and Sunday School Teacher.
 
Also nominated for this year's scholar-athlete award were: UW-Eau Claire's Kayla Behnke (Grad. Student, Appleton, Wis./Kimberly); UW-La Crosse's Jenna Miller (Sr., Manitowoc, Wis./Manitowoc); UW-Oshkosh's Haley Kanitz (Sr., Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls); UW-Platteville's Elianna Dalamangas (Jr., Muskego, Wis./Muskego); UW-Stevens Point's Kya Smith (Sr., Nekoosa, Wis./Nekoosa); UW-Stout's Leah Zastrow (Sr., Spencer, Wis./Spencer); and UW-Whitewater's Danielle Pouska (Sr., Algonquin, Ill./Algonquin Jacobs).
 
The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Judy Kruckman who served as Assistant Commissioner for the WIAC from 1996-98. Prior to this appointment, she was Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WWIAC) from October, 1984 - September, 1996. Kruckman was the women's athletics director at UW-Eau Claire from 1974-84, and one of the original representatives to the WWIAC when it formed in 1971. She was inducted into the WIAC Hall of Fame in 2012.