

Division II’s Scholar Athletes of the Year Are Braun, Copeland, Husted, Beeler
NEW ORLEANS – Aaron Braun (Adams State), Christopher Copeland (Saint Augustine’s), Mike Husted (Colorado Mines), and Mike Beeler (Pittsburg State) were named on Friday as Scholar Athletes of the Year in Division II for the 2010 track & field seasons by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The four represents collegiate track & field’s best in both athletics and academics. In addition, 156 were tapped as USTFCCCA All-Academic honorees.
Scholar Athletes are determined from among those who earned All-Academic status and placed highest in individual events at the most recent NCAA Championships. Those who earn multiple individual championship titles rank higher in the tie-breaking process, and cumulative GPA is weighed as the final tiebreaker to establish a winner. Separate awards are given to track athletes and field athletes for the indoor and outdoor seasons, resulting in four categories.
Indoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year – Aaron Braun, Adams State
Braun, a native of Fort Collins, Colo., won his fifth overall NCAA track & field national title with a 4:07.44 clocking in the mile at the Division II Indoor Championships in March. Braun, a mathematics major, has accumulated a GPA of 3.77 over his academic career. Braun won this award a year ago and is a four-time overall winner of the award in track & field having previously won the award in 2007 and 2008 for the outdoor season.
Indoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year – Christopher Copeland, Saint Augustine’s
Copeland, a native of Suffolk, Va., was the NCAA Indoor Champion in the high jump with a clearance of 7-½ (2.15m). At the outdoor championships, Copeland lost a jump off for the national crown. Copeland, a sophomore, carries a 3.65 cumulative GPA in sports management.
Outdoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year – Mark Husted, Colorado Mines
Husted, a native of Westminster, Colo., claimed victory at 800 meters at the NCAA Division II Championships in May with a 1:48.65 clocking. Husted, a graduate student at Colorado Mines, is an electrical engineering student with a 3.96 cumulative GPA.
Outdoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year – Mike Beeler, Pittsburg State
Beeler, a native of Lenexa, Kan., was the NCAA’s runner up in the javelin at the national outdoor championships. Beeler, a junior, has notched a 3.74 cumulative GPA in chemistry.
Past Winners
Indoor Track & Field (track athlete)
2010: Aaron Braun, Adams State
2009: Aaron Braun, Adams State
2008: Chris Cummings, Mansfield
Indoor Track & Field (field athlete)
2010: Christopher Copeland, Saint Augustine’s
2009: Matthew Gersick, Adams State
2008: Matthew Gersick, Adams State
Indoor Track & Field (single award)
2007: Kim Hogarth, Western State
Outdoor Track & Field (track athlete)
2010: Mark Husted, Colorado Mines
2009: Joshua Streeter, Adams State
2008: Aaron Braun, Adams State
Outdoor Track & Field (field athlete)
2010: Mike Beeler, Pittsburg State
2009: Camille Vandendriessche, Abilene Christian
2008: Camille Vandendriessche, Abilene Christian
Outdoor Track & Field (single award)
2007: Aaron Braun, Adams State
156 Earn All-Academic Status
In addition to the Scholar Athletes of the Year, the USTFCCCA also announced the men’s 2010 Division II All-Academic Track & Field team. A total of 156 student-athletes representing 59 institutions compose the group. Pittsburg State, East Stroudsburg, and Ashland led all teams with seven named to the All-Academic list. The GLIAC notched 26 to lead all conferences and the RMAC was runner-up in the category with 21.
National champions Reuben Mwei (Adams State) and Leford Green (Johnson C. Smith) those who won Scholar Athlete of the Year honors as All-Academic honorees.
To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 and have met either the NCAA Division II indoor or outdoor automatic or provisional qualifying standard.
Those institutions given All-Academic Team status will be named on Monday, August 2 (women) and Tuesday, August 3 (men).
USTFCCCA 2010 Division II Track & Field All-Academic Honorees, MEN
NAME | INSTITUTION |
Aaron Cantrell | Abilene Christian University |
Landon Ehlers | Abilene Christian University |
Brandon Fleet | Abilene Christian University |
Brandon Birdsong | Adams State College |
Aaron Braun | Adams State College |
Luke Cragg | Adams State College |
Anthony Gauthier | Adams State College |
Reuben Mwei | Adams State College |
Scott Facey | Adelphi University |
Bailey Ince | Adelphi University |
Nicholas Bellanco | Ashland University |
Craig Call | Ashland University |
Maxwell Hiltner | Ashland University |
Joe Horn | Ashland University |
Mike Jeffery | Ashland University |
Carsten Krohn | Ashland University |
Cory Meuleman | Ashland University |
Travis Beniak | Augustana College (South Dakota) |
Tom Karbo | Augustana College (South Dakota) |
Zac Preble | Bemidji State University |
Curtis Trueb | Bentley University |
Ryan Bertucci | California State University, Chico |
Tim Cannon | California State University, Chico |
Manny Mejia | California State University, Chico |
Frank Ehrensberger | California University of Pennsylvania |
Tyler Fischer | Central Washington University |
Brandon Harrington | Chadron State College |
Ritzen John | Chadron State College |
Lanar Newman | Chadron State College |
Riley Northrup | Chadron State College |
Lincoln Proud | Chadron State College |
Russell Drummond | Colorado School of Mines |
Mark Husted | Colorado School of Mines |
David Stuart | Colorado School of Mines |
Aaron Swift | Colorado School of Mines |
Nick Zehring | Colorado School of Mines |
Domonique Gilmer | Concordia University, St. Paul |
John Pimental | Concordia University, St. Paul |
Tory Groover | Drury University |
Jaime Villa Zapatero | Drury University |
Matt Gallup | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania |
Josh Hontz | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania |
Dan Johnson | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania |
Ian Melhorn | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania |
Drew Miller | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania |
Greg Pammer | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania |
Paul Wagner | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania |
Josh Arthur | Edinboro University of Pennsylvania |
Jason Borst | Edinboro University of Pennsylvania |
Barry McLaughlin | Edinboro University of Pennsylvania |
Tony Granillo | Emporia State University |
Alex Pyle | Emporia State University |
Kevin Roulhac | Emporia State University |
Greg Burn | Ferris State University |
Mitch Sahlfeld | Fort Hays State University |
Quinton Dennis | Grand Valley State University |
John Dyer | Grand Valley State University |
Kyle Eno | Grand Valley State University |
Matthew Gordeneer | Grand Valley State University |
Patrick Sage | Grand Valley State University |
Anthony Witt | Grand Valley State University |
Philip Biwott | Harding University |
Frank Bolling | Harding University |
Ryan Johnson | Harding University |
William Danko | Hillsdale College |
Chuck Wysong | Hillsdale College |
Andre Collins | Johnson C. Smith University |
Leford Green | Johnson C. Smith University |
Richard Harkness | Johnson C. Smith University |
Scott Barnas | Lewis University |
Dwain Bryden | Lincoln University of Missouri |
Christopher Edelman | Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania |
Brandon Pomerantz | Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania |
Shawn Wilkinson | Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania |
Bud Plaszenski | Mansfield University of Pennsylvania |
Kenneth Gilkerson | Michigan Technological University |
Aaron Lund | Minnesota State University Moorhead |
Brennan Benkert | Missouri Southern State University |
Seth Hackney | Missouri Southern State University |
Aki Nummela | Missouri Southern State University |
Allen Ernst | Missouri University of Science & Technology |
Daniel Hellwig | Missouri University of Science & Technology |
Brett Vessell | Missouri University of Science & Technology |
Lemario Bland | Morehouse College |
Drew Harris | Northern Kentucky University |
Luke Hauert | Northern State University |
Maurus Hope | Northwest Nazarene University |
Jared Fischer | Northwood University (Michigan) |
Sam Watson | Northwood University (Michigan) |
Brian Allen | Pittsburg State University |
Mike Beeler | Pittsburg State University |
Ethan Hobbs | Pittsburg State University |
Alex Kuhlman | Pittsburg State University |
Brett Siegle | Pittsburg State University |
Alex Talbott | Pittsburg State University |
Tim Testa | Pittsburg State University |
Christopher Copeland | Saint Augustine’s College |
Jamal Cumberbatch | Saint Augustine’s College |
Orolando Duffus | Saint Augustine’s College |
Ramon Gittens | Saint Augustine’s College |
Steve Simeus | Saint Augustine’s College |
Chad Meis | Seattle Pacific University |
Nate Seely | Seattle Pacific University |
Aron Kurzinski | Seton Hill University |
Josh Wilks | Seton Hill University |
Bryan Beegle | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania |
Ethan Geisler | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania |
Joel Peters | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania |
Chris Warning | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania |
Stenson Jean-Baptiste | Southern Connecticut State University |
Logan Sharpe | Southern Connecticut State University |
Patrick Waszczak | Southern Connecticut State University |
Jesse Kueker | Southwest Baptist University |
Chris Muniz | St. Thomas Aquinas College |
Simon Bernard | The University of Findlay |
Shawnathan Fort | The University of Findlay |
John Guagenti | The University of Findlay |
Greg Schaible | The University of Findlay |
Curtis Smithey | The University of Findlay |
Raymond Robinson | Tiffin University |
Dan Snyder | Tiffin University |
Derek Atwood | Truman State University |
Stephen Dolan | University of Alabama in Huntsville |
Josh Moshier | University of Alabama in Huntsville |
Micah Chelimo | University of Alaska Anchorage |
Alfred Kangogo | University of Alaska Anchorage |
Bradley Truax | University of Alaska Anchorage |
Leon Baham | University of California, San Diego |
Shawn Boss | University of Central Missouri |
Brent Vogel | University of Central Missouri |
Angus MacDonald | University of Massachusetts at Lowell |
Ruben Sanca | University of Massachusetts at Lowell |
Benjamin Saviet | University of Massachusetts at Lowell |
Kyle Glidden | University of Nebraska at Kearney |
Bryson Mahlberg | University of Nebraska at Kearney |
Thomas Neemann | University of Nebraska at Kearney |
Drew Onnen | University of Nebraska at Kearney |
Nick Theis | University of Nebraska at Kearney |
Quinn Willet | University of Nebraska at Kearney |
Pardon Ndhlovu | University of North Carolina at Pembroke |
Christian Alicea | University of the Incarnate Word |
George Alicea | University of the Incarnate Word |
Corey McDonnough | University of the Incarnate Word |
Corey McDonnough | University of the Incarnate Word |
Shawn Smith | West Chester University of Pennsylvania |
Chris Reed | Western Oregon University |
Loren Ahonen | Western State College of Colorado |
Cordell Baker | Western State College of Colorado |
Sean Brown | Western State College of Colorado |
Andy Crook | Western State College of Colorado |
Ryan Walstrom | Western State College of Colorado |
Glen Watts | Western State College of Colorado |
Tim Clendaniel | Western Washington University |
Alex Harrison | Western Washington University |
Jordan Welling | Western Washington University |
Travis Hamrick | Wheeling Jesuit University |