Three-time Central College wrestling All-American C.J. Pestano was included on an impressive national list of student-athletes honored for their academic and athletic accomplishments by the magazine Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.

The Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Awards Program is designed to honor undergraduate students who have excelled in the classroom as well as on the athletic field. Inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe, Jr.’s commitment to education as well as his love for the game of tennis, U.S. colleges and universities are invited to participate in this annual award program by nominating their outstanding sports scholars.

A three-time All-American for Central, Pestano is a physics major and mathematics minor with a 3.23 GPA. He finished sixth at the 2018 NCAA Division III Championships after finishing second (2016) and fourth (2017) in previous seasons.

Pestano was the only Iowa Conference student-athlete cited.