Pella Christian senior Ryan Natelborg has been recognized as an Academic All-State selection in cross country by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches. To be academic all-state an athlete must be a senior, possess a 3.8 or higher cumulative grade point average, and be a State Meet qualifier or finish top 30 at the State Qualifying Meet. Ryan, who was unable to run due to an injury that left him partially paralyzed in 2022, met the other criteria to be recognized. Pella Christian head coach Mike Buchheit appealed to the association, requesting that Ryan be recognized for his spirit and previous running accomplishments. The appeal was granted, honoring Ryan for his 4.0 GPA.