Larson, Vander Veer named to Academic All-America squad
Central College
PELLA — Central College student-athletes Eric Larson (senior, Waverly, Waverly-Shell Rock HS) and Jamie Vander Veer (senior, Harvey, Knoxville HS) were named to the Capital One Academic All-America Division III men’s track and field/cross country team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Tuesday.
Larson was named to the second team for the second time with a 3.45 cumulative grade point average while majoring in economics and Vander Veer was named to the third team, compiling a 3.63 cumulative grade point average majoring in mathematics and secondary education.
To be eligible for academic all-America consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity contributor, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or better and have reached sophomore standing. CoSIDA members first submit ballots for a district team before selected nominees advance for consideration on the national squad.
Larson, a second team academic all-American in 2013, won the NCAA Division III indoor heptathlon and outdoor decathlon national titles in 2013 and placed sixth in the decathlon last month after missing the 2014 campaign due to injury. He is a five-time all-American and has earned all-Iowa Conference honors in 13 events at five league meets. The school record holder in the heptathlon was named the USTFCCCA Division III Central Region men’s field athlete of the year for this year’s indoor season and was also the USTFCCCA Division III Men’s National Athlete of the Week twice.
Vander Veer earned all-America distinction in the mile at the indoor national track and field meet with a sixth-place finish. In his career he was all-conference in nine events at five league meets and was also named academic all-conference twice. On the cross country course last fall Vander Veer placed second at the league meet, 10th at the regional meet and 56th at the national meet. He helped lead the Dutch to their third straight top-15 national finish.
It is the 51st and 52nd time that a Central student-athlete has received academic all-America distinction and the fourth and fifth time the honor has gone to a member of the Dutch men’s track and field team. The previous honorees were Bryan George in 2006, Ben Bollard in 2007 and Larson in 2013.
The Capital One Division II and III Academic All-America® program is financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures, to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the program.
