(Story Courtesy of Colorado College Sports Information Department)
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Recent Colorado College graduate James Settles capped off his stellar career by being named the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Division III Men's Track & Field/Cross Country Team Member of the Year.
Settles, who also earned a spot on the Academic All-America Team for the second straight year, is the first Colorado College student-athlete to win the Academic All-American of the Year award and the first Tiger to earn first-team honors since swimmer Jordan DeGayner in 2012.
The Claremont, Calif., product closed out his athletic career with his second consecutive All-America selection after finishing eighth in the 5k at the 2024 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships. He placed fourth in the same race as a junior in 2023.
Settles, who earned his bachelor's degree in computer science with a 4.0 grade-point average, collected a third All-America award with a fourth-place finish at the 2023 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships last fall.
He captured two Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference individual cross country titles and four SCAC track & field individual titles during his four years at Colorado College, and is the school record holder in both the 5K (14:07.78) and 10K (29.46.90) on the track.
"James was a tremendous leader for the cross country and track teams during his four years at Colorado College," cross country head coach Alex Nichols said. "His drive to excel in the classroom while also competing at the highest levels in cross country and track left a mark on the programs that will not be forgotten. Even after graduation, his success will continue to inspire younger runners to work harder and achieve more in all aspects of life."
Settles, a four-time winner of the prestigious SCAC Elite 19 Award, was named the recipient of the Van Diest award as Colorado College's top male student-athlete among the 2024 graduating class.