SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – David Ecker of the University of Sioux Falls Track and Field/Cross Country Team has been selected to the NCAA DII CoSIDA Men District VII Track and Field/Cross Country Team, according to an announcement today by CoSIDA.

 

Ecker, who will serve as President of the USF SAAC in 2021-22, was among the 11 individuals named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District VII Team. Ecker will advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America ballot First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in mid-August.  

"David Ecker is an outstanding individual and a leader at USF. He is dedicated and focused on his studies in the classroom, participates in community service efforts and excels in athletics," said USF Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Doug Petersen. "We are exceptionally proud of David for this honor and his unyielding effort and total commitment to everything he does. He is a quality young man in all aspects and as an example will be serving as leader for the SAAC organization in 2021-22," Petersen said.   

The 2020-21 Academic All-District® Men's Track & Field / Cross Country Team, selected by CoSIDA, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances in the competition realm and in the classroom. The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA. First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot.  

In his career at USF, the junior from Eau Claire, Wisc., has been named to the NSIC All-Academic Team and the NSIC Academic Team of Excellence eight times. Five times, he has been on a USF team that finished in the top six in the NSIC, including USF's 2018 NSIC Cross Country championship team that finished fifth at the NCAA DII meet.

This past season, he set a school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a clocking of 9:16.75. Ecker, who finished third at the NSIC Outdoors in the 3K steeplechase in 2021, has accumulated 13 top-five finishes and four times in cross country and track and field.

The Division II and III CoSIDA Academic All-America® programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2020-21 Divisions II and III Academic All-America® programs.