South Dakota’s Bethany Buell is the Scholar Athlete of the Year [VIDEO]

The honors keep pouring in for University of South Dakota pole vaulter Bethany Buell.

Buell, a psychology major, is the Division I Outdoor Track & Field Scholar Athlete of the Year, after posting a 3.97 GPA, winning the Division I outdoor pole vault title in June, and clearing the top height in the nation last season - 14 feet, 7½ inches.

Buell is the first Summit League athlete to receive a USTFCCCA Scholar Athlete of the Year.

In a USD press release, Coyote Athletic Director David Herbster said:

I couldn’t be more proud of Bethany and this award speaks volumes to her academic prowess and her athletic excellence.

Bethany winning this award sends the message that South Dakota student athletes can and will compete for both academic and athletic excellence on a national level.

Buell was also named the women’s Summit League Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year and earned All-American honors during both indoor and outdoor seasons.

In all, eight Coyotes were named to the All-Academic Track and Field team and both men’s and women’s track and field teams placed in the top-10 for team GPA. Emily Grove, Madison Mills, Hunter Wilkes, Alexa Duling, and Megan Glisar for the women, Erik Hill and Jeff Mettler for the men.

The women’s track and field team had the seventh-best cumulative team GPA in Division I (3.53), while the men tied Dartmouth College for the 10^th (3.31).