All-Academic Individuals & Scholar Athletes of the Year – 2018 NAIA Men’s Track & Field

NEW ORLEANS – Tre Hinds of Wayland Baptist (Texas), Seth Gretz of Oregon Tech, Tony Weber of Saint Mary (Kan.) and Henry Arnold of Doane (Neb.) were named the Men’s Scholar Athletes of the Year in NAIA Track & Field on Thursday 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 89 men who earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors.

Scholar Athletes of the Year were selected as the highest finishing performers at the 2018 NAIA Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships who achieved All-Academic status. Those athletes who won individual NCAA titles ranked higher in the tie-breaking 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.

Hinds, a junior who is majoring in Business Administration and has a cumulative GPA of 3.83, was named the Men’s Indoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year. The native of Ashton Hall, Barbados, shined at the NAIA Indoor Championships with a victory in the 600 meters and he anchored the Pioneers’ title-winning 4×800 relay team.

Gretz, a graduated senior who majored in Business with a GPA of 3.58, was named the Men’s Indoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year. The native of Rogue River, Oregon, placed third in the heptathlon with a total score of 5057 points, 163 points better than his seed of 4894.

Weber, a graduated senior who majored in Accounting with a GPA of 4.00, was named the Men’s Outdoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year. The native of Leavenworth, Kansas, won the marathon title with a time of 2:35:04.47, nearly three minutes ahead of teammate Christian Graham. Weber also doubled back in the 10,000, an event in which he placed second.

Arnold, a sophomore who is majoring in Physical Education with a GPA of 3.47, was named the Men’s Outdoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year. The native of Falls City, Nebraska, placed fourth in the triple jump with an effort of 14.84m (48-8¼).

All-Academic Individuals

Including the Scholar Athletes of the Year, a total of 89 men earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors during the 2017-18 track & field seasons.

To qualify for USTFCCCA All-Academic honors, the student-athlete must meet all three of the following standards:

1. Cumulative GPA: 3.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period, certifiable by either Faculty Rep or Compliance Coordinator or Registrar’s Office.

1. Institutions utilizing a different GPA scale must convert the GPA to a 4.0 scale using the standard conversion method [GPA/Scale x 4.0].

2. Athletic criteria for the award can be met in either the indoor season, the outdoor season, or both:

1. For the indoor season: must have achieved an “A” or “B” standard in a Championship event, certifiable by their place on the NAIA descending order lists on TFRRS for Indoor Track and Field.

2. For the outdoor season: must have achieved an “A” or “B” standard in a Championship event, certifiable by their place on the NAIA descending order lists on TFRRS for Outdoor Track and Field.

3. Must have completed at least two (2) semesters or three (3) quarters at the certifying institution.