Ana Couto of the Barton Community College track and field program has been named the Women's Indoor Track and Field National Scholar Field Athlete of the Year as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

A national pentathlon champion at the 2023 NJCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, Couto was also outstanding throughout the semester in the classroom achieving a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Couto was one of twelve Cougars earning USTFCCCA All-Academic individual honors having achieved a 3.40 GPA or better helping the squad to a 3.06 cumulative GPA. Barton is joined by thirteen other NJCAA teams in earning All-Academic team honors by having a 3.0 GPA or better.

Arriving to Barton for the spring semester from Braganca Paulista, Sao Paulo, Brazil, the multi-talented freshman chalked up 3956 points at the national meet for her pentathlon title, second most in NJCAA and program history behind former Cougar Ayesha Champagnie's 4003 total in the 2016 season.

Barton Women USTFCCCA All-Academic individuals:
Kay-Lagay Clarke
Ana Couto
Karina Estrada
Treneese Hamilton
Karina Herrera
Efe Latham
Deborah Lowe
Danae Nembhard
Lillian Thomas
Oarabile Tshosa

Barton Men USTFCCCA All-Academic individuals:
Christopher Crawford
Jarron King

Complete list of Individual Honors:
Women: https://www.ustfccca.org/2023/07/awards/2023-njcaa-womens-track-field-all-academic-athletes__trashed
Men: https://www.ustfccca.org/2023/07/awards/2023-njcaa-mens-track-field-all-academic-athletes__trashed

Complete list of Team Honors:
Women: https://www.ustfccca.org/2023/07/awards/2023-njcaa-womens-track-field-all-academic-teams__trashed
Men: https://www.ustfccca.org/2023/07/awards/2023-njcaa-mens-track-field-all-academic-teams__trashed