Colorado Springs, CO – The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is proud to announce men's lacrosse sophomore Joseph Zelaya-Fiallos and softball sophomore Merry Griffin as 2026 All-American Athlete Strength and Conditioning Athletes of the Year Award recipients. This award recognizes their athletic accomplishments for their dedication to strength and conditioning. Nominated by Coach Erin Hunter's determination to improve in athletics while maintaining academic prominence is a great model for all student-athletes at Clark.
 
"We are proud to have Erin Hunter join the NSCA in its mission to safely improve athletic performance," says Eric McMahon, NSCA's Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, "Supporting our student-athletes guarantees a stronger future for the NSCA."
 
Congratulations to Zelaya-Fiallos and Griffin for an updated list of the All-American Athletes of the Year award, visit NSCA.com/All-American.

About the National Strength & Conditioning Association
Founded in 1978, The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is a nonprofit association dedicated to advancing the strength and conditioning and related sport science professions around the world.

The NSCA exists to empower a community of professionals to maximize their impact through disseminating evidence- based knowledge and its practical application by offering industry-leading certifications, research journals, career development services, networking opportunities, and continuing education. The NSCA community is composed of more than 60,000 members and certified professionals throughout the world who further industry standards as researchers, educators, strength and conditioning coaches, performance and sport scientists, personal trainers, tactical professionals, and other related roles.