UND carries tradition of academic excellence into Division I era As the University of North Dakota prepares for its first season of Division I competition, the UND athletic department is proud to celebrate the academic accomplishments of its student athletes. Sixty-five UND student athletes have received Academic All-America recognition over the years, the fourth-highest number in Division II history according to a recent report by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The CoSIDA report underscores UND's commitment to the academic pursuits of its student athletes, who have cultivated a legacy of success not only in competition, but in the classroom. I want to salute the dedication and commitment of our student athletes and coaches to academic excellence at UND, said Brian Faison, director of athletics. Clearly at North Dakota the student comes first in student athletes. UND's student athletes enjoyed another successful year in the classroom in 2007-08, with 246 student athletes achieving a 3.0 grade point average or higher during the spring 2008 semester, including 54 student athletes with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Four student athletes earned CosIDA Academic All-America honors in 2007-08, including football players Mitch Braegelmann (first team), Weston Dressler (first team) and Rory Manke (second team) and softball player Casie Hanson (first team). Dressler was also a national semifinalist for the prestigious Draddy Trophy, the top academic honor in NCAA football. A two-sport standout, Hanson was also named Western Collegiate Hockey Association Outstanding Student Athlete of the Year. Another five student athletes were named United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Academic All-Americans, including Renee Aune, Heidi Evans, Amanda Gefroh, Kristy Keithley and Kyle Rosseau. Evans was also an NCAA postgraduate scholarship recipient. On the conference level, 49 UND student athletes earned either North Central Conference or Western Collegiate Hockey Association academic all-conference honors. Additionally, three UND teams were nationally recognized for distinguished academic performance. The Sioux men were named USTFCCCA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Scholar Team of the Year, while the Sioux women were named a Division II Track and Field Scholar Team. UND's women's basketball team was named to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll.