Colorado College's Settles Selected D3CA/Chi Alpha Sigma Region X Athlete of the Year

Colorado College's Settles Selected D3CA/Chi Alpha Sigma Region X Athlete of the Year

SUWANEE, Ga. -- In an announcement made today, James Settles of Colorado College was named the Region X Division III Commissioner's Association/Chi Alpha Sigma Men's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year. Complete Release

Settles, who earlier this summer was named the 2024 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Man of the Year, is the first SCAC student-athlete to earn the prestigious award from the D3CA.

A three-time All-American on the men's cross country and track & field teams, Settles compiled a 4.00 grade-point average and graduated on May 19 with a bachelor's degree in computer science. In July, he was named the NCAA Division III Academic All-American of the Year for cross country and track & field and earned a spot on the CSC Academic All-America At-Large First Team.

Settles, a native of Claremont, Calif., was named the school's 2024 Van Diest Award winner as the top male senior student-athlete. He closed out his athletic career with his second consecutive All-America selection after finishing eighth in the 5k at the 2024 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships. He placed fourth in the same race as a junior in 2023.
 
A four-time winner of the prestigious SCAC Elite 19 Award, Settles collected a third All-America award with a fourth-place finish at the 2023 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships and led the Tigers to their fifth consecutive SCA team title last fall. He also captured two Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference individual cross country titles and four SCAC track & field individual titles during his four years at Colorado College, and is the school record holder in both the 5K (14:07.78) and 10K (29.46.90) on the track.

"James had an outstanding senior season to close out his time at Colorado College," CC cross country head coach Alex Nichols said. "He has grown so much as a person and athlete; that growth would not have happened without his drive to succeed and improve. Coaching James in the cross country and track programs has been a true privilege. His legacy will inspire generations of CC Tigers in the future."
 
He was very active in the community during his four years at CC, which included serving as a Sacred Ground Tea Host, website editor of the Colorado College Cipher and a volunteer for Care & Share and TESSA Pasta in the Park.

As one of 10 regional winners, Settles will advance to the national ballot for consideration for 2023-24 D3CA Men's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year. That announcement will come in early September.

All Division III conferences were permitted to submit two nominations for each award (Men's Sport and Women's Sport) if at least one of the nominations was an international student/ethnic minority. Graduating seniors were the only student-athletes eligible for this award.

Selection criteria for the awards included considerations based on academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership and a personal statement submitted by each nominee.

Voting was conducted by the commissioners within each of the ten regions, with the top male and female honoree recognized as finalists for the Awards Committee to select the Division III Commissioner’s Association Men’s Sport and Women’s Sport Student-Athlete of the Year.

A complete list of honorees can be found here.

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