Eight Gophers Named CoSIDA Academic All-District

MINNEAPOLIS – Eight student-athletes on the University of Minnesota track & field and cross country program have been named CoSIDA Academic All-District selections, the College Sports Information Directors of America announced on Thursday morning.

Representing the Maroon & Gold in alphabetical order are Alec Basten, Teddy Frid, Bethany Hasz, Owen Hoeft, Abby Kohut-Jackson, Val Larson, Kaleb Siekmeier and Amira Young.

Recognizing the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances in competition and in the classroom, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at their current institution in order to be nominated. Academic All-District honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America ballot with winners announced later this summer.

A native of Green Bay, Wis., Basten has earned his fourth CoSIDA Academic All-District accolade and will look to repeat as an Academic All-American. The four-time All-American was the 2021 Big Ten champion and the 2021 NCAA runner-up in the 3,000 meter steeplechase before finishing 10th in the event at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials. The two-time All-Big Ten pick owns four Gophers records – the indoor 3,000 meters, the outdoor 5,000 meters, the 3,000 meter steeplechase and the 8K in cross country. The 2021 NCAA Indoor Elite 90 Award winner is also an eight-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and an eight-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.

A native of South St. Paul, Minn., Frid is a two-time Division I All-American for the Maroon & Gold (once in the heptathlon and once in the decathlon) in addition to being a two-time Division II All-American at Sioux Falls prior to joining the Gophers. The multi-eventer is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.

A native of Alexandria, Minn., Hasz is now a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree and will look to repeat as an Academic All-American. A five-time All-American between track & field and cross country, she is the first Gopher to win the honor in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track in one year. The two-time NCAA Midwest Region Indoor Track Athlete of the Year is a seven-time All-Big Ten pick and was named the 2021 Big Ten Athlete of the Year (indoor) and the 2020 Big Ten Athlete of the Year (cross country). The owner of four Gophers records, Hasz was the 2020 Big Ten cross country champion before adding conference crowns in the indoor 3,000 meters and the outdoor 10,000 meters. The 2021 NCAA Indoor Elite 90 Award winner is also an eight-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and an eight-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.

A native of Golden Valley, Minn., Hoeft earned All-America honors in the distance medley relay in 2020 and closed out his 2021 campaign as the Big Ten champion and a First Team All-Big Ten pick in the mile. The second generation Gopher is an eight-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and a six-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.

A native of Huxley, Iowa, Kohut-Jackson has earned her second CoSIDA Academic All-District honor and is an eight-time Academic All-Big Ten selection as well as an eight-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. She earned Second Team All-America honors in 2021 and was the NCAA Midwest Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year. A three-time All-Big Ten pick, Kohut-Jackson won two Big Ten titles in 2021 in the indoor distance medley relay and the 3,000 meter steeplechase – she also owns school records in both events. She concluded her season with a 19th-place finish in the steeplechase at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials.

A native of DeForest, Wis., Larson is a three-time All-American and a six-time All-Big Ten honoree. She won three Big Ten titles in 2021 – the indoor 4x400 meter relay, the indoor distance medley relay and the outdoor 4x400 meter relay. Larson is also part owner of the University of Minnesota record for the outdoor 4x400 meter relay. She is a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and a four-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.

A native of Mahtomedi, Minn., Siekmeier is a two-time All-America selection for the Gophers in the weight throw including First Team accolades in 2021. The second generation 'U' thrower earned a pair of Second Team All-Big Ten honors in 2021 in the weight throw and the discus. He is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.

A native of Chicago, Ill., Young picked up two All-America honors in 2021 – First Team honors in the indoor 200 meters and Second Team accolades in the indoor 60 meters. She was named the 2021 Big Ten Athlete of the Championships (indoors) after winning both the 200 meter and 60 meter titles. The four-time All-Big Ten selection is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. She also owns school records in the indoor 200 meters, the outdoor 200 meters and the outdoor 100 meters.

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Players Mentioned

Alec Basten

Teddy Frid

Bethany Hasz

Owen Hoeft

Abby Kohut-Jackson

Val Larson

Kaleb Siekmeier

Amira Young