GREENWOOD, Ind. – Gustavus women’s sprinter Birgen Nelson (So., Edina) has been selected to the 2020-21 CoSIDA Academic All-District Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country Team, which was announced Thursday. Academic All-District Teams recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom.
Nelson, a political science and classical languages double major with a 3.97 GPA, is a two-time All-American after taking second place in the 100-hurdles and fifth place in the 400-hurdles at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships. She is the first All-American for Gustavus in both the 100- and 400-hurdles. Nelson took second place in the 100-hurdles at the 2021 MIAC Outdoor Championships and placed third in the 200-meter to earn a pair of All-Conference honors. She currently owns four school records in the outdoor 100- and 400-hurdles, and indoor 60-hurdles and 200-meter.
This year’s District 6 Team, which includes student-athletes from institutions in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, has 12 student-athletes. Nelson is the only sophomore on the District 6 Team. Academic All-District honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America ballot, where first-, second-, and third-team All-America honorees will be selected next month.