NEW ORLEANS, LA (May 20, 2026) --The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced the 2026 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field All‑Region honorees on Wednesday, with seven members of the King's College women's outdoor track and field program earning recognition. Senior Brandy Varner, senior Katelyn Shoemaker, junior Caitlin Kirk, and the 4x400‑meter relay team of first‑year Ali Butcher, first‑year Evelyn Sahd, graduate student Kat Smith, and junior Ava Butcher all secured Mid‑Atlantic All‑Region accolades.

The top‑8 individuals in each event from each region on the year‑end Descending Order Lists earned All‑Region distinction, in addition to each member of the region's top‑8 relay teams. The regions used for this award – East, Great Lakes, Metro, Mid‑Atlantic, Mideast, Midwest, Niagara, North, South, and West – match those used during the cross country season.

Varner collected three All‑Region honors this spring in the shot put, discus, and hammer throw, marking the first, fourth, and second outdoor All‑Region selections of her career in those events, respectively. The senior dominated the Mid‑Atlantic Region, ranking first in both the shot put and discus and second in the hammer. She posted a mark of 14.22 meters in the shot put at the AARTFC Championships on May 13, where she also captured the event title with a school‑record performance. In the discus, Varner recorded a region‑leading throw of 49.26 meters at the Widener Final Qualifier on May 10. She added a 54.10‑meter hammer throw at the same meet to rank second in the region. Varner swept all three throwing events at the MAC Championships and was named the MAC Women's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year. She went on to win both the shot put and discus and place second in the hammer at the AARTFC Championships.

Shoemaker earned two All‑Region distinctions this season, collecting her third career honor in the hammer throw and her first in the javelin. The senior ranked fourth in the Mid‑Atlantic Region in the hammer with a mark of 52.92 meters at the Paul Donahue Invitational on April 17. Shoemaker also delivered a strong postseason, finishing second in both the hammer and javelin at the MAC Championships before placing third in the hammer at the AARTFC Championships.
Kirk secured her second career All‑Region accolade in the hammer throw after ranking fifth in the Mid‑Atlantic Region. The junior posted a mark of 51.28 meters at the King's College Monarch Open on April 25. She added a third‑place finish in the hammer at the MAC Championships and placed sixth at the AARTFC Championships to cap her season.

The 4x400‑meter relay team of Ali Butcher, Evelyn Sahd, Kat Smith, and Ava Butcher earned their first career All‑Region selections after ranking third in the Mid‑Atlantic Region. The quartet ran a school‑record time of 3:55.67 at the AARTFC Championships on May 13 to secure their spot among the region's elite. The relay also captured the MAC Championship title earlier in the season before placing seventh at the AARTFC Championships.

These seven honorees join 20 previous USTFCCCA All‑Region selections in the history of the King's women's outdoor track and field program. This also marks the fourth consecutive season that the Monarchs have produced at least one outdoor All‑Region selection.

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