By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
CoSIDA named Jared Vitztum of Fort Hays State Men’s Basketball to its 2022 Academic All-District Team on Thursday (Feb. 17). Vitztum is one of just five men’s basketball student-athletes from District 7 (MIAA, NSIC, and GAC Conferences) to receive the honor. Sports Information and Athletic Communication professionals within District 7 vote on the Academic All-District Team, which honors a combination of academic and athletic accomplishments of the individuals selected.
Vitztum joins Tyler Riemersma of Augustana as repeat selections to the all-district team this season, both earning the same honors following the 2020-21 season. Vitztum has a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average for his graduate studies at Fort Hays State, working on a master’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance. He had a near perfect GPA during his time as an undergraduate student with a 3.92 GPA as a Finance major. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with his bachelor’s degree in 2020. Vitztum is a three-time recipient of the MIAA Academic Excellence Award, a two-time recipient of the MIAA Scholar-Athlete Award for the seasons he earned All-MIAA honors, and a five-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. He was also a finalist for the MIAA Men’s Winter Student-Athlete of the Year Award in 2021. He is the only student-athlete from the MIAA on this year’s team, joining four individuals from the Northern Sun Conference.
On the court, Vitztum is a two-time All-MIAA selection, including first-team honors in 2021. Vitztum was one of just 11 players named to the NABC All-District Team for the Central Region. He led NCAA Division II in double-doubles for points and rebounds in the 2020-21 regular season with 12, averaging 18.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. Vitztum led the MIAA in rebounds per game and NCAA Division II in total rebounds (218) during the regular season.
So far this season, Vitztum is averaging 15.7 points per game and 9.9 rebounds per game. He has 12 double-doubles so far this season and leads the MIAA in rebounding once again. Vitztum currently ranks sixth all-time in scoring at FHSU with 1,479 points and ranks third in rebounds with 875. Vitztum is one of just three players in program history to score at least 1,400 points and pull down 800 rebounds.
As an All-District selection, Vitztum will now be considered for Academic All-America honors to be voted on by Sports Information/Athletic Communication professionals nationwide in NCAA Division II. Vitztum was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team last year.
Below is the 2022 CoSIDA Men’s Basketball Academic All-District Team in NCAA Division II for District 7.
NCAA DIVISION II – ALL-DISTRICT 7 (Great American, Mid-America, Northern Sun)
Austin Andrews, University of Minnesota Duluth, So., 3.89, Pre-Civil Engineering
Jordan Belka, Northern State University, Gr., 3.94/4.00, Business Management
Matt Cartwright, University of Sioux Falls, Gr., 4.00/4.00, Master of Business Administration
Tyler Riemersma, Augustana University, Gr., 3.90/4.00, Data Science (UG) / Sport Administration Leadership (G)
Jared Vitztum, Fort Hays State University, Gr., 3.92/4.00, Finance