Daniel Kerley earns Senior Scholar-Athlete Award at Honors Convocation

Daniel Kerley, son of William and Teri Kerley of Vienna, Ill., was awarded the Senior Scholar-Athlete Award during Honors Day May 14 at North Central College. The award recognizes the student-athlete in each class with the highest grade-point average. Daniel has received the Scholar-Athlete Award all four years at North Central.

A senior, Daniel is majoring in psychology at North Central College and is a graduate of Vienna High School.

As a four-year member of the College’s running teams, Daniel was a competitor at four NCAA Division III national meets in both sports, resulting in North Central first-place wins: 2011 and 2012 in cross country, 2011 in outdoor track and field and 2012 in indoor track and field.

Daniel has also earned numerous academic awards as a student-athlete. He has been named to the 2012-2013 Capital One Academic All-District Seven Men’s Cross Country and Track and Field Team (NCAA Division III), as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). He was an All-College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW), All-Midwest Region and United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic selection for the third straight season in cross country this past fall. He helped lead North Central to its 15th national championship in cross country in November, placing 14th to earn All-America honors for the first time.

The CCIW individual cross country champion this season, Daniel also qualified for his third straight NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships this past spring, placing 10th in the 10,000-meter run. He previously earned All-America honors twice in the 10,000 and won three CCIW individual track and field titles. He makes the CoSIDA Academic All-District list for the third straight year and was a CoSIDA Academic All-America selection a year ago.

Outside athletics, Daniel is actively involved on campus. He serves on the executive board of Focus, a weekly student-led worship group, and has conducted undergraduate research with psychology faculty.