NDSU track and field athletes Shelby Gunnells and Trevor Otterdahl have been named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America team for Division I, the College Sports Information Directors of America announced Aug. 12.

Both were voted to the Academic All-America first team. 

This is the third consecutive Academic All-America selection for Gunnells, who was named a first-team selection in 2020 after earning second-team recognition in 2019. It is the first Academic All-America honor for Otterdahl.

Gunnells, from Solon, Iowa, earned her bachelor’s degree from NDSU in geology with a 4.0 GPA. She won the NCAA Elite 90 Award for outdoor track and field in 2021, ranking eighth on the NCAA performance list for the outdoor shot put this season and earning second-team All-America honors in the event. In all, Gunnells was a three-time All-American in the shot put.

Otterdahl, from Rosemount, Minnesota, earned a degree from NDSU in mathematics with a 3.96 cumulative GPA, and is now pursuing an Master of Business Administration with a 4.00 GPA. He was a first-team All-American in the weight throw in 2021, placing fourth at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

The Bison women have now earned 19 Academic All-America honors in track and field and cross country since the Division I transition, while the NDSU men have claimed 12 honors.

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