PELLA — Central College placed 31 student-athletes on the winter sports American Rivers Conference all-academic team, announced Friday.

Across the league, 304 total student-athletes were honored.

Fifth-year senior Kaleb Brand (Mount Vernon) is a rare four-time honoree. Women's basketball guard Hannah Dau and men's wrestlers Cael Cox (junior, Ankeny) and Jason Hermann (junior, Stockton, Ill.) were recognized for the third time.

Ten other Central student-athletes were honored for the second time: women's basketball players Abby Johnson (senior, Ankeny) and Samantha Scott (senior, Davenport, North Scott HS); men's wrestlers Elijah Belzer (junior, Wapello), Kale Downey (junior, Clarinda), Trent Harper (junior, Norwalk), Nathan Rosas (junior, Harvard, Ill.), and Sam West (junior, Burlington, Notre Dame HS); cheerleader Sydney Buseman (junior, Hampton, Hampton-Dumont HS) and dancer Jessie Posipisil (senior, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Valley Christian HS)

To qualify for the distinction, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore in academic standing with one year at his/her current school, achieve a 3.5 GPA or better and compete at the varsity level.
 
Central's honorees:
Men's Basketball (8)
Kaleb Brand, 5Y, Mount Vernon, Iowa/Mount Vernon HS, business management, 3.82
Bradley Curren, so., Harlan, Iowa/Harlan HS, business management, 3.75
Alex Ruba, so., Ames, Iowa/Ames HS, business management, 3.68
Aden Six, so., Washington, Iowa/Washington HS, business management, 3.73
Ajay Six, so., Washington, Iowa/Washington HS, elementary education, 3.83
Aiden Stoltz, so., Pella, Iowa/Pella Christian HS, accounting, 3.68
Patrick Weyrauch, so., Glendale, Ariz/Sunrise Mountain HS, business management, 3.95
Brady Wolf, so., Moscow Mills, Mo./Orchard Farm HS, business management, 3.72
 
 
Women's Basketball (8)
Abbey Bence, so., West Burlington, Iowa/West Burlington HS, kinesiology, 4.00
Hannah Dau, sr., Paulina, Iowa/South O'Brien HS, kinesiology/biology, 3.64
Kaitlyn Mumm, so., Waukee, Iowa/Des Moines Christian, kinesiology, 3.56
Abby Johnson, sr., Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny HS, kinesiology, 3.98
Anna Newton, so., Diagonal, Iowa/Diagonal HS, strength and conditioning, 3.66
Samantha Scott, sr., Davenport, Iowa/North Scott HS, kinesiology, 3.86
Miah Urban, so., Malvern, Iowa/East Mills HS, kinesiology, 3.71
Jasmyn Williams, jr., Denver, Colo./Arvada West HS, undeclared, 3.77
 
Women's Wrestling (3)
Esther Belzer, jr., Kalona, Iowa/Hillcrest Academy, information systems, 3.77
Piper Eighmy, so., Birmingham, Ala./Briarwood Christian HS, biology/business management, 4.00
Sophie Lunning, sr., Mason City, Iowa/Mason City HS, elementary education, 3.90
 
Men's Wrestling (7)
Elijah Belzer, jr., Wapello, Iowa/Wapello HS, strength and conditioning, 3.95
Cael Cox, sr., Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny HS, engineering, 3.99
Kale Downey, jr., Clarinda, Iowa/Clarinda HS, accounting/business management, 3.61
Trent Harper, jr., Norwalk, Iowa/Norwalk HS, actuarial science, 3.64
Jason Hermann, sr., Stockton, Ill./Stockton HS, business management/accounting, 3.74
Nathan Rosas, jr., Harvard, Ill./Harvard HS, computer science, 3.53
Sam West, jr., Burlington, Iowa/Notre Dame HS, business management, 4.00
 
Cheerleading (2)
Sydney Buseman, jr., Hampton, Iowa/Hampton-Dumont/CAL HS, elementary education 3.73
Madison Craig, jr., Solon, Iowa/Solon HS, biology 3.57
 
Dance (3)
Jordan Crooks, so., Mount Pleasant, Iowa/Mount Pleasant HS, elementary education 3.55
Lanee Hall, so., Van Meter, Iowa/Winterset HS, communication studies 3.76
Jessie Pospisil, sr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Cedar Valley Christian HS, business management, 3.68