Gustavus Adolphus College student-athletes Hailey Harren (Sr., Cold Spring, Minn./ROCORI), Tanner Miest (Sr., Willmar, Minn./New London-Spicer), and Alex Zupan (Sr., Monona, Wis./Monona Grove) have been named to the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V College Division Track & Field/Cross Country Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). All three athletes were named to the first team and advance to the national ballot. One College Division team was named on the men’s side, while two teams were named on the women’s side.
Hailey Harren, a native of Cold Spring, Minn., placed eighth at the 2007 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships after capturing the individual title as a junior. Harren won MIAC and NCAA Central Region individual championships as both a junior and senior and earned First Team All-America, MIAC Runner of the Year, and NCAA Central Region Runner of the Year honors each of the past two seasons. A 2006 First Team CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American in 2006, Harren was also honored as the 2007 College Sporting News MIAC Senior Female Athlete of the Year and is the recipient of an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
Tanner Miest, a native of Willmar, Minn., a three-time MIAC Champion in the 110 high hurdles (2005, 2006, 2007), finished first in the 110 hurdles in 5 of 7 meets this season and 11 of 14 over the past two seasons. Miest placed 13th at the 2007 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships after earning All-America honors with an eighth place finish in 2006. Miest also earned 2007 MIAC Outstanding Performance of the Meet honors for winning 110 hurdles in a time of 14.58. He holds the school record in the 110 hurdles at 14.53 seconds. A CoSIDA Academic All-District selection in 2006 as well, Miest has been into the MD/PhD program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.
Alex Zupan, a native of Monona, Wis., a four-year letterwinner in both track and field and cross country, captured the 2007 MIAC outdoor title in the 3,000 meter steeplechase (9:31.6). The Gustavus cross country team MVP and a team captain in 2005 and 2006, Zupan captured All-MIAC honors in 2004 and 2005 and was an all-region selection in 2005. On the track, Zupan holds both the Gustavus indoor and outdoor school records in the 1,000 meters (2:32.30 indoors, 2:33.12 outdoors). Zupan has also been named a USA Today All-USA College Academic All-Star, an NCAA Postgraduate Scholar, a Goldwater Scholar, and a Presser Scholar. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and was a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection in 2006.
All three athletes advance to the national ballot for the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America College Division Track & Field/Cross Country Team. The men’s team will be announced Monday, June 25, while the women’s team will be announced Wednesday, June 27.
The Academic All-America program annually honors over 1600 student-athletes who have succeeded at the highest level on the playing field and in the classroom. Individuals are selected through voting by CoSIDA (the College Sports Information Directors of America), a 2,000-member organization consisting of sports public relations professionals for colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.
To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.
Harren, who graduated in May with a degree in political science and financial economics, is the daughter of Thomas and Deborah Harren of Cold Spring and a 2003 graduate of ROCORI High School. Miest, who graduated in May with a degree in biology, is the son of Gary and Norma Miest of Willmar and a 2003 graduate of New London-Spicer High School. Zupan, a May graduate with a degree in mathematics and music, is the son of Martin and Kathleen Zupan of Monona, Wis., and a 2003 graduate of Monona Grove High School.