Central places eight on academic squad

Central College

PELLA—Eight Central College student-athletes have landed spots on the Iowa Conference all-academic winter sports team.

To be eligible for the honor, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore in academic standing, compete at the varsity level and maintain a 3.5 or higher cumulative grade point average (4.0 scale).

Among the Dutch standouts that also excel in the classroom is senior Sarah Paulson (senior, Ottumwa), a second-team all-league basketball pick, and Reid Imerman (senior, Guthrie Center), a former National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American.

This is the third consecutive year Paulson, AJ Baker (senior, Grinnell), Melanie Hopkins (senior, Earlham) and Imerman have received the distinction.

Central placed 42 student-athletes on the fall sports squad. Last year the Dutch had seven on the winter academic team.

Central’s honorees:

Women’s basketball

AJ Baker, sr., Grinnell, Iowa/Grinnell HS, exercise science, 3.77

Hilary Beaird, so., Burlington, Iowa/Burlington HS, athletic training, 3.63

Melanie Hopkins, sr., Earlham, Iowa/Earlham HS, Spanish/sociology, 3.82

Sarah Paulson, sr., Ottumwa, Iowa/Ottumwa HS, exercise science, 3.71

Jessy Stika, so., Cresco, Iowa/Crestwood, undeclared, 3.87

Men’s basketball

Jason Karstens, so., Dwight, Ill./Dwight Township HS, exercise science, 3.53

Wrestling

Reid Imerman, sr., Guthrie Center, Iowa/Guthrie Center HS, biology, 3.89

Palmer Scott, jr., Hudson, Iowa/Hudson HS, history, 3.53