MONTGOMERY, Ala. – SSAC men’s and women’s basketball student-athletes Shane Stevensen (Life) and Deniya Thornton (Loyola) earned 2025-26 CSC Academic All-America honors for their standout performances in the classroom and on the court. 
 
Only 10 student-athletes are recognized in each sport between the first and second teams. Selected by College Sports Communicators, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically and have a 3.50 or better cumulative grade point average.
 
Loyola’s Thornton earned second-team honors after the junior criminology major posted a 3.66 GPA. On the court, she earned SSAC Defensive Player of the Year honors and was named Second-Team NAIA All-America after averaging 15.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest, while leading Loyola to the SSAC Regular Season Championship. 
 
Life’s Stevensen earned first-team honors after the senior interdisciplinary studies major posted a 4.0 GPA. On the court, he earned First-Team All-Conference honors and was named SSAC Newcomer of the Year after averaging 15.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists, while shooting 60% from the field.