ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT senior wrestler Josh Harkless and junior men's lacrosse player Joe Holenstein were named 2026 First-Team Academic All-Americans, as selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC).
 
The CSC Academic All-American program recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field of competition and in the classroom. To be considered, nominees had to have achieved at least a sophomore standing and a minimum 3.50 cumulative grade point average while playing a prominent role on the field of competition.

Harkless capped his distinguished wrestling career by winning the 285-pound national championship at the 2026 NCAA Division III Championships. Also named the Most Dominant Wrestler at the championship, he ended the season with a 46-3 record for the second winningest single season in program history, including a record 32 wins via pinfall to break the previous mark by eight. Voted the 2026 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Wrestler and Scholar Athlete of the Year, he finished his career as a four-time National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American while compiling a 3.86 grade point average majoring in mechanical engineering.
 
Holenstein was the recipient of the 2026 Division III Men's Lacrosse Elite Scholar-Athlete Award at the NCAA Division III National Championship. A United State Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) First Team All-American defenseman for the national runner-up Tigers, Holenstein grabbed a career-high 90 ground balls and caused a career-high 36 turnovers. A First Team All-Liberty League selection, Holenstein finished ninth in the Liberty League averaging 3.75 ground balls per game and was seventh in the league averaging 1.50 caused turnovers per game. The Liberty League All-Academic honoree holds a 3.97 GPA majoring in mechanical engineering.

Since 1986-87, 111 individual RIT student-athletes have been awarded 134 Academic All-America honors by CSC (formerly College Sports Information Directors of America/CoSIDA), including 17 Tigers who have been awarded 20 first-team certificates.