2019 USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Men’s Track & Field Athlete Academic Awards

NEW ORLEANS – Morgan McDonald of Wisconsin (Men’s Indoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year), Payton Otterdahl of North Dakota State (Men’s Indoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year), Clayton Young of BYU (Men’s Outdoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year) and Eric Kicinski of Texas Tech (Men’s Outdoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year) were honored on Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Combining their accomplishments in the classroom and in competition during the recently completed academic year, these four men were the most exceptional among a group of 583 men who earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors.

Scholar Athletes of the Year were selected as the highest finishing individual at the NCAA Division I Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships who achieved All-Academic status. Those athletes who won individual NCAA titles ranked higher in the tiebreaking process and cumulative GPA is weighed as the final advantage.

Separate awards are given to track athletes and field athletes for the indoor and outdoor seasons, hence the four categories.

McDonald held down a cumulative GPA of 3.75 while starring on the oval circuit. The native of Sydney, Australia, won individual titles in the 3000 and 5000 at the 2019 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships. McDonald is the first athlete from the Big Ten to be named Men’s Indoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Otterdahl posted a cumulative GPA of 3.28 during an incredible year in the ring. The native of Rosemount, Minnesota, won individual titles in the shot put and weight throw at the 2019 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships, becoming just the third man to do that in meet history. Otterdahl is the first athlete from the Summit League and the third thrower in the past four years to be named Men’s Indoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Young attained a cumulative GPA of 3.82 and proved to be king of the longest distance. The native of American Fork, Utah, won the individual title in the 10,000 at the 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships and became the first BYU athlete to do so since head coach Ed Eyestone went back to back in 1984 and 1985. Young is the first Cougar to be named Men’s Outdoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Kicinski had a cumulative GPA of 3.80 and was a major reason why Texas Tech won its first national title in program history. The native of Rhome, Texas, won the discus crown at the 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships and those points propelled the Red Raiders to the top of the leaderboard. Kicinski is the first athlete from Texas Tech to be named Men’s Outdoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year and is the third discus thrower to win it in the past five years (Sam Mattis of Penn, 2015; Luke Vaughn of Memphis, 2018).

All-Academic Individuals

Including the Scholar Athletes of the Year, a total of 583 men earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors during the 2018-19 track & field seasons.

To qualify for USTFCCCA All-Academic honors, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.25 and have met at least one of the following athletic standards:

• For the indoor season, a student-athlete must have finished the regular season ranked in the national top 96 in an individual event or ranked in the national top 48 (collective listing) in a relay event on the official NCAA POP list provided by TFRRS.org.
• For the outdoor season, a student-athlete must have participated in any round of the NCAA Division I Championships (including preliminary rounds).

See below for a full list of men’s athletes honored on Monday.

2019 USTFCCCA All-Academic Individuals
NCAA Division I Men’s Track & Field