Dordt Men's Cross Country Has Scholar Athletes

2015 Nov 30

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has announced Friday that 210 men's cross country student-athletes have been named 2015 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athletes. Dordt had three athletes on the list.

Sam Wensink (Junior; Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin) Ian Manske (Junior; Waconia, Minnesota) and Steven Kelly (Junior; Hartland, Wisconsin) all claim the NAIA honor for the first time.

Wensink was a CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-American last season and earned all-GPAC honors this season at the GPAC Championship. Wensink is studying Accounting and Business Administration. Manske narrowly missed all-GPAC honors this season and is studying Health-Human Performance and Kelly completed his third season competing for the Defenders and is a Business Administration major.

"The cross country athletes at Dordt College have a legacy of being focused student-athletes. This year's team and these athletes in particular have continued that legacy. We want to develop well rounded people that contribute not only athletically to our campus, but to the greater learning and faith communities at Dordt College," said Dordt College coach Nate Wolf. "I am proud of our men and women for the work and commitment they have made to being successful in everything they are involved in."

In order to be nominated by an institution's head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved a junior academic status to qualify for this honor.