NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State women's basketball dynamic sophomore duo of Trista Fayta and Doneelah Washington have been named to the 2025-26 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District squad, as announced by the organization on Tuesday.
The 2025-26 Academic All-District® Men's Basketball teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes men's basketball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
Fayta, also a Missouri Valley Conference All-Academic Team selection, holds a 4.0 cumulative GPA in Business Administration at Illinois State. She has started all 34 games at the point for the Redbirds and led the MVC in assists and assists per game during the regular season, while averaging 11.7 points per game. The Green Bay, Wisconsin, native ranks No. 11 in the NCAA in assists (197) and No. 16 in assists per game (5.8), and has five games this season with 10 or more assists, which ranks ninth in Division I and leads all MVC players.Â
Washington joined Fayta on the MVC All-Academic Team and holds a 3.75 cumulative GPA in Recreation and Sport Management at Illinois State. The Lincoln, Nebraska, native has done it all for the Redbirds, leading the team in points per game (17.0), rebounds per game (8.8), steals (64) and blocks (57) on way to earning All-MVC First-Team honors and the league Most Improved Player Award for the season. Washington has posted 12 double-doubles on the year, including a career-high 31-point, 12-rebound effort in a win over Belmont, and has scored 20 points or more in contest 12 times this season including her last three times out.
The Redbirds (21-13) will play the winner of Tuesday night's Abilene Christian/FIU contest in the WNIT Super 16, which can take place between March 25-27. The game date, time and location will be announced following the completion of the FIU/ACU contest.
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