Johansson Earns Academic All-America Honor

Nebraska track and field sophomore Axelina Johansson was named to the Academic All-America Second Team as the College Sports Communicators announced its women’s track and field award winners on Wednesday. The men’s awards will be announced on Thursday.

The honor adds to Johansson’s impressive haul of accomplishments during the outdoor season, as she was named Big Ten Women’s Field Athlete of the Championships and of the Year, as well as the USTFCCCA Midwest Region Women’s Field Athlete of the Year. Johansson carries a 3.79 GPA majoring in graphic design. 

Johansson, a sophomore from Hok, Sweden, won the NCAA shot put national title with a mark of 63-3 1/4 (19.28m). She put on a dominating display at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Austin, Texas, as each of her six throws would have won her the NCAA gold medal. Johansson became the third Husker female to win an NCAA shot put title.

She won the Big Ten shot put title with a personal best and meet record 64-1 1/4 (19.54m). Johansson’s throw was a Nebraska school record and a Swedish national record. It was also the top mark in the NCAA this season, the No. 2 throw in NCAA outdoor history and the No. 7 throw in the world in 2023. Johansson swept the Big Ten indoor and outdoor shot put titles this season, and she was the NCAA indoor runner-up in March. 

Overall, the Nebraska men’s and women’s track and field programs lead the nation with 55 combined Academic All-Americans since 2002. All-time the Husker men’s and women’s track and field programs have combined for 69 Academic All-America awards since 1985.

Johansson’s selection brings the University of Nebraska’s all-time Academic All-America total to 350.