AUSTIN, Texas - College of Idaho distance runner
Alex Martin was named the CoSIDA NAIA Track and Field Academic All-American of the Year, announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
The honor is the highest achievement for any collegiate student-athlete, with Martin becoming C of I's first-ever recipient. Martin becomes the third two-time first-team Academic All-American in program history (joining
Austin Basterrechea and
Matt Goodwin), but finished first among special balloting among NAIA sports information directors for the prolific award.
In addition, senior multi-event standout, Kris Kostelecky, was named a second-team Academic All-American.
To be honored, a student-athlete must be nominated by their school's sports information director – with the athlete at least a sophomore in academic standing, maintaining a minimum 3.30 cumulative grade point average and be a starter or key contributor to the team. Athletes must first be selected to one of four 10-athlete All-District team (C of I is part of District 4, comprised of all NAIA schools in the Cascade, California Pacific, Golden State Athletic, Frontier, Sooner Athletic and Red River Conferences) – with the 40 finalists comprising the Academic All-America ballot.
Martin, a biology major from Bend, Ore., had a brilliant career for the Yotes - earning five All-America and five All-Cascade Conference honors. He capped his career by finishing third at the 2019 NAIA Cross Country Championships, leading C of I to the combined national title. He was the 2018 USTFCCCA Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the 2020 Cascade Conference Men's Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the 2020 C of I Senior Men's Student-Athlete of the Year. Martin is a 6-time CCC All-Academic Team selection and a 4-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Kostelecky, a health sciences major from Twin Falls, is a 3-time All-CCC selection and a 2019 NAIA All-American in the indoor heptathlon. He holds the C of I indoor school record in both the long jump and the high jump. Kostelecky is a 3-time CCC All-Academic Team selection and was named last year to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 4 team.
CoSIDA NAIA Track and Field/Cross Country Academic All-America Team
First Team: Maxwell Cruse (Dakota State), Nicholas Grandperrin (Cumberlands), Oscar Kipkoros (Oklahoma City), Dylan Kucera (Midland), Kyle Manuel (Southeastern),
Alex Martin (College of Idaho), Michael Oldach (Westmont), Cole Olsen (Lewis-Clark State), Carter Price (York), Riley Sine (Northwest)
Second Team: Johnathan Bowen (St. Mary), Jacob Cornelio (Concordia-Nebraska), Jordan Crawford (Missouri Baptist), Jack Dickinson (Westmont), Zachary Kleppe (Arizona Christian),
Kristopher Kostelecky (College of Idaho), Barthelemy Peter (Indiana Tech), Michal Roguski (Oklahoma City), Mark Shaw (Oklahoma City), Luke Skinner (St. Mary), Matthew Van Eps (Dordt).
