GREENWOOD, Ind. – Even when she's not racing, Annika Esvelt is racking up All-American awards.
 
The Seattle Pacific distance running star has been voted as an Academic All-America first-teamer for cross country and track by the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA).
 
 

This is the second time Esvelt has earned Academic All-America recognition. She was a second-team selection in 2022.
 
Esvelt was one of 48 NCAA Division II student-athletes to earn the award. Of those, 14 others joined Esvelt on the 15-member first team. The Academic All-America program combines cross country and track.
 
A senior who just completed her degree in applied human biology with a 3.99 grade-point average, Esvelt was a three-time All-American on the track this past school year. In May, she ran to a silver medal finish in the 10,000 meters at the NCAA Championships in Emporia, Kansas. Then two days later, she was seventh in the 5000 meters, which once again put her on the awards stand with first-team All-American status.
 
Esvelt was a second-team All-American in the 5K at the NCAA indoor meet on March 8 in Pittsburg, Kansas.
 
 

"This is a very prestigious award, but when you look at what Annika has accomplished, she has clearly earned it," Falcons assistant coach / distance coach Eric Hansen said. "She's performing at the highest level on the track and in the classroom.".
 
Esvelt received eight awards for her classroom work during the 2023-24 school year. 

• Two Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Academic teams (cross country and track).
• GNAC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year encompassing all sports.
• GNAC Faculty Athletic Representative Scholar-Athlete Award (3.85 or higher GPA).
• CSC Academic All-District;.
• CSC Academic All-America.
• Two U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association national All-Academic teams (cross country and track).

Altogether, she now has 20 academic awards through her career from the above-named entities.
 
Esvelt was one of just two GNAC athletes on this year's Academic All-America list (distance runner Rosie Fordham of Alaska Fairbanks made the second team) and one of just five from the West Region (Azusa Pacific had the other three).

While she has completed her undergrad degree, Esvelt has one year of eligibility remaining in all three seasons -- cross country, indoor and outdoor track -- and plans to use it this upcoming academic year while pursuing a minor in exercise science.