Women's Soccer

UW-La Crosse’s Caya Named Women’s Soccer Judy Kruckman Scholar Athlete

MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Aubree Caya has been named the recipient of the 2026 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Soccer Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award.
 
A senior from Oregon, Wis. (Oregon), Caya is majoring in biology with a biomedical concentration and minors in chemistry and Spanish and maintains a 3.86 grade point average. She claimed a spot on the 2025 College Sports Communicators NCAA Division III Academic All-America® Women’s Soccer First Team and 2025 United Soccer Coaches (USC) Scholar All-America First Team. Caya is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and been recognized on UW-La Crosse’s Dean’s List numerous semesters.
 
Caya was named WIAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2026 for the second consecutive season. In 2025, she added USC All-America First Team honors and USC All-Region First Team recognition. She has helped UW-La Crosse win the conference regular-season title in each of her four years. The Eagles have also added three straight tournament crowns. Caya is a two-year team captain (2025, 2026) and owns school single-season records with 24 goals, 55 points and 91 shots – all achieved during the 2025 campaign. She was tabbed the UW-La Crosse Female Student-Athlete of the Year during the 2025-26 academic year.
 
Caya has been a member of UW-La Crosse’s Pre-Med Club, Biology Club and SOS. She has served as an anatomy teaching assistant and volunteered with STAR Center, Steppin’ Out in Pink and youth soccer camps. She is a founder of UW-La Crosse’s HOSA and has worked as an At Home Care Provider.
 
Also nominated for this year’s scholar-athlete award were:  UW-Eau Claire’s Lisette Thurman (Sr., Farmington, Minn./Rosemount); UW-Oshkosh’s Shannon Walsh (Sr., Des Plaines, Ill./Maine West); UW-Platteville’s Lexi Ward (Sr., Eldridge, Iowa/North Scott); UW-River Falls’ Emery Bigler (Sr., Pewaukee, Wis./Pewaukee); UW-Stout Polytechnic’s Emma Balsley (Sr., Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd); and UW-Whitewater’s Anna Gunderson (Sr., Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago).

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Judy Kruckman, who served as Assistant Commissioner for the WIAC from 1996-98. Prior to this appointment, she was Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WWIAC) from October 1984 - September 1996. Kruckman was the women's athletics director at UW-Eau Claire from 1974-84, and one of the original representatives to the WWIAC when it formed in 1971.
 
In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, she must be in her last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years. The award is based on academic achievements, athletics accomplishments and involvement in other campus activities, organizations and community service projects.
 
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