All-American men’s track and field athlete Ryan Kruse added another exclamation point to his illustrious career as the recent Central College grad was named a recipient of the NCAA postgraduate scholarship for academic and athletics excellence.
Kruse, a mathematics major, graduated with a 3.74 grade point average. He will receive $7,500 for postgraduate study and is one of just 29 male scholarship recipients for the spring 2018 season. Fairley becomes the 25th winner of the NCAA postgraduate scholarship for Central since 1970 when former NFL star Vern Den Herder was honored. He’s the second Dutch athlete honored during the 2017-18 academic year as Mark Fairley was honored during the fall as a member of the men’s cross country team. Football players Taylor Cox (2015) and Riley Gray (2016) as well as men’s track and field sprinter Spencer Hammack (2015) are other recent winners for the Dutch. Kruse earned his All-American status during the 2018 indoor season after finishing third in the heptathlon (5, 124 points) at the national meet.
The school record-holder in the javelin throw, Kruse finished 12th in the event at the national meet last weekend. Kruse is a five-time all-Iowa Conference and four-time all-USTFCCCA all-Central Region performer.