Two Scots' Track Men, One Woman Earn National Academic Awards
Monmouth, IL (07/21/2020) — A trio of Monmouth College track student-athletes - Austin Pfau (Leland, IL/Somonauk), Reed Wilson (Normal, IL/Community) and Cindy Ladner (Galesburg, IL/Galesburg) - are first-time recipients this year of the All-Academic honor, the highest academic honor awarded by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
The honors mark the 11th time since 2006 that multiple Scots were awarded USTFCCCA All-Academic status in the same season. It's the fourth consecutive year a Monmouth student-athlete has earned the distinction.
Pfau, who enters the 2021 season as a senior, earned his first Midwest Conference title in February, taking the MWC indoor triple jump title with leap of 47'0-1/4", the fifth-best mark in Fighting Scots' history and the 27th-best in the nation last spring. A three-time academic all-conference performer majoring in business and economics, Pfau is the son of William and Patricia Pfau.
A freshman pole vaulter last season who turned in a top vault of 15'5" to rank 24th nationally indoors, Wilson was also named a two-time academic all-conference performer by the Midwest Conference this month. The physics major is the son of Brian and Danica Wilson.
Ladner, who ranked 41st in the nation after setting the Fighting Scots' women's indoor 60-meter dash record of 7.83 this season, was also named a two-time academic all-conference honoree by the Midwest Conference. She also posted an indoor long jump of 17'11-3/4" to rank 39th nationally. Entering the 2021 campaign as a senior exercise science major, she is the daughter of Paul and Sheri Ladner.
Student-athletes named USTFCCCA All-Academic must meet some of the most demanding academic and athletic requirements in the nation. All-Academic team members must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.30 and have met at least one of the following criteria: finished the indoor season among the top 50 individuals as listed on the descending order lists on the national database; competed as a member of one of the top 35 relay teams as listed on the indoor descending order list; or were accepted into the Indoor National Championship.