By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
MANHEIM, Pa. – Six student-athletes representing the Fort Hays State wrestling team earned Scholar All-American honors from the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA), announced Monday by the association. As a team, the Tigers recorded the ninth-best GPA in Division II, posting a team grade point average of 3.303.
In order for a student-athlete to be nominated to the Division II Scholar All-American Team, he must have a minimum 3.4 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale, with that benchmark at 3.2 for those who qualified for the 2020 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships. The athlete must also have competed in a minimum of five dates of competition.
Four of the five Tigers who qualified for the 2020 NCAA Division II National Championships received the honor, including senior Brandon Ball, junior Marty Verhaeghe, sophomore Aryus Jones and redshirt-freshman Mason Turner. Sophomores Anthony Scantlin and Conrad Vajnar also earned the award, both doing so for the second year in a row.
Ball was one of 11 student-athletes in the country who received the honor for the fourth consecutive year, while Vajnar is one of just 11 qualifying wrestlers in Division II to maintain a perfect 4.00 GPA.
This is the fourth year in a row the Tigers have had at least six student-athletes receive Scholar All-American honors. It is the first time the Tigers have been ranked in the top 20 in team GPA since the 2016-17 season, when FHSU ranked eighth.
| NWCA Division II Scholar All-American Honorees | ||||
| Name | Year | Weight Class | Major | GPA |
| Brandon Ball | Sr. | 141 | Technology Studies (Teaching K-12) | 3.81 |
| Aryus Jones | So. | 184 | Criminal Justice | 3.11 |
| Anthony Scantlin | So. | 149 | Technology Studies | 3.64 |
| Mason Turner | R-Fr. | 125 | Health and Human Performance | 3.60 |
| Conrad Vajnar | So. | 165 | Accounting | 4.00 |
| Marty Verhaeghe | Jr. | 174 | Health and Human Performance | 3.18 |
| NWCA Division II Scholar All-American Team Top 20 | ||
| Rank | Team | GPA |
| 1 | Maryville University | 3.695 |
| 2 | University of Indianapolis | 3.513 |
| 3 | Colorado School of Mines | 3.384 |
| 4 | Colorado Mesa | 3.343 |
| 5 | Augustana University | 3.336 |
| 6 | Mercyhurst University | 3.334 |
| 7 | Drury University | 3.334 |
| 8 | University of Nebraska at Kearney | 3.310 |
| 9 | Fort Hays State University | 3.303 |
| 10 | Newman University | 3.269 |
| 11 | Minnesota State University, Mankato | 3.262 |
| 12 | Northern State University | 3.261 |
| 13 | Urbana University | 3.260 |
| 14 | Chadron State College | 3.222 |
| 15 | Findlay | 3.189 |
| 16 | Gannon University | 3.170 |
| 17 | Ashland University | 3.145 |
| 18 | Seton Hill University | 3.142 |
| 19 | UW-Parkside | 3.111 |
| 20 | CSU Pueblo | 3.083 |