Eastern cross country and track runner Dan Strackeljahn was named to the Academic All-District V team for his efforts athletically as well as academically.

Strackeljahn also won the Ohio Valley Conference’s Scholar Athlete of the year after earning a 3.87 grade point average.

Strackeljahn was the leading finisher for Panther cross country in the fall, finishing third out of 78 runners and was named to First Team All-OVC.

Cross Country head coach Geoff Masanet said that the senior runner has one year of eligibility left and is a great leader and genuinely a good guy.

Masanet is also impressed with the way that Strackeljahn is able to balance his athletics, schoolwork and his other extra-curricular activities. The career and technical education major has volunteered for the Special Olympics, is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is part of the Sigma Alpha Lambda leadership and honors society and the Eastern chapter of the Trade Association of the Graphic Arts.

“If I could duplicate him 40 times, I would,” Masanet said.

Strackeljahn earned All-OVC for indoor track in March after finishing second in the mile, fourth in the 3000-meter run and also was a part of the distance medley relay team that took first place.

Strackeljahn was also named First Team All-OVC for outdoor track after finishing first in the 1500-meter run and third in the 800-meter run.

Track and Field head coach Tom Akers said that Strackeljahn is a hard worker and also one of the team captains.

Akers expects Strackeljahn to continue to be a very strong leader as well as help other guys follow in his footsteps.

“When you see somebody who is focused on the right things and works real hard, you know good things will happen,” Akers said.

Strackeljahn hopes to make nationals next year in the 1500 after falling about a second and a half short of qualifying this year.

Masanet said that Strackeljahn’s time of 3:47.32 in the 1500 is the sixth best in school history.

Strackeljahn is now a three-selection to the OVC commissioner’s honor roll.