MELBOURNE, Fla. – Four members of the Florida Tech men's cross country and track programs were named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team, the organization announced Tuesday afternoon. Sophomores Filippo Bessi, Thomas Carpenter, Diego Estebanes, and Jason Hargesheimer earned the honor after excelling both academically and athletically throughout the 2025-26 season.
Selected by College Sports Communicators, the Academic All-District teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their achievements in competition and in the classroom.
Bessi, a sophomore majoring in construction management with a 3.66 GPA, was one of Florida Tech's most versatile contributors throughout the outdoor season. He competed in six of the Panthers' seven meets and helped the 4x400-meter relay team claim first place at the Nova Southeastern University Alumni Invite. At the Eagle Invite, Bessi captured titles in both the 400-meter hurdles and 4x400 relay while also recording a personal-best 22.25 in the 200-meter for ninth place.
The Italian standout placed in the top 10 in all four of his events at the SSC Outdoor Championships, highlighted by a third-place finish in the 4x400 relay. His efforts throughout the season earned him All-SSC Second Team honors as a member of the Panthers' 4x400-meter relay team.
Carpenter, a sophomore from Lincoln, England, majoring in humanities with a 3.54 GPA, was a key contributor for the Panthers during both the cross country and track seasons. He competed in all six cross country meets, opening the year with a 19:40.90 in his first collegiate 6K at the Swan Lake Classic before running a 28:02.30 in his first 8K at the Eagle Cross Country Invite, where he recorded his highest finish of the season at 15th place. Carpenter lowered his personal-best 8K time at both the FSU Cross Country Invitational and UAH Chargers Invite, ultimately clocking a 25:54.90, before closing the season at the NCAA South Regional with a 34:08.66 in his first collegiate 10K. He was also recognized as a member of the SSC Fall Honor Roll.
During the outdoor track season, Carpenter competed in five meets across two events and recorded three top-10 finishes. He placed fourth in the 5,000-meter run at the Nova Southeastern University Alumni Invitational and later scored a 15th-place finish in the event at the SSC Outdoor Championships.
Estebanes, a sophomore from Colorado majoring in aeronautical science with a perfect 4.0 GPA, enjoyed a breakout outdoor season while excelling in the classroom. He competed in five meets across 10 events and recorded five top-10 finishes throughout the year. Among his highlights were a personal-best 11.35 in the 100-meter dash at the Nova Southeastern University Alumni Invitational, a career-best 15.53 and seventh-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles at the Eagle Invite, and a runner-up finish in the 400-meter hurdles at the same meet.
The hurdler finished the season strong with two top-10 performances at the SSC Outdoor Championships, including a career-best 54.40 in the 400-meter hurdles. His runner-up finish in the event earned him All-SSC Second Team honors and established him as one of the conference's top hurdlers.
Hargesheimer balanced excellence in the classroom and on the track during his sophomore season, maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA as an electrical engineering major. He competed in six meets across nine events, highlighted by a season-best 1,500-meter time of 4:16.09 at the Eagle Invite, where he finished 19th. The distance runner also represented Florida Tech at the SSC Outdoor Championships, placing 15th in the 800-meter run.
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