University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa junior high jumper Lilian Turban earned second-team College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America honors as one of the elite student-athletes in collegiate track and field. The announcement was made on July 9.
Turban is just the second Rainbow Wahine track and field athlete to earn Academic All-America honors and the first since 2009. Only three-time Academic All-American Annett Wichmann (2007–09) has claimed the recognition. She is also the only Big West student-athlete to be on any of the three teams.
The Tallinn, Estonia native finished the indoor season as a U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Second-Team Academic All-American after finishing 10th in the high jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Her appearance was the first by a Rainbow Wahine athlete since 2010, while making her only the third different UH athlete ever to compete at the event.
Turban secured a spot in the NCAA Indoor Championships by jumping 1.86m (6-1.25) to take home her second consecutive high jump title at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Indoor Championships. The mark of 1.86m is also the second-best mark all-time at UH.
A communication major, Turban has also earned CSC Academic All-District recognition and MPSF All-Academic honors this season for her athletic and academic accomplishments.
