February 26, 2009
(release courtesy of Dave Blanchard, Luther College sports information)

DECORAH, IOWA . . . The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has announced that Luther College cross country All-American David McKay has been awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

The NCAA annually awards 174 postgraduate scholarships to outstanding student-athletes throughout the nation, 87 for men and 87 for women. The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition.

The one-time, non-renewable grants of $7,500 each are awarded for fall, winter, and spring sports each sports season. There are 29 scholarships available for men and 29 scholarships available for women.

To qualify for an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, a student-athlete must have an overall grade point average of 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale) or its equivalent, and must have performed with distinction as a member of the varsity team in the sport in which the student-athlete was nominated. The student-athlete must have behaved, both on and off the field, in a manner that has brought credit to the student-athlete, the institution, and intercollegiate athletics. The student-athlete also must intend to continue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree as a full-time or part-time graduate student.

McKay completed his cross-country career as a two-time All-American. After placing 27th at the 2007 national meet and this fall he became the fifth runner in Luther history to post a top-10 performance at the national championships with an eighth-place finish. McKay helped lead Luther to three consecutive Iowa Conference championships (2006-08) and two trips to the NCAA Division III National Championships, where the Norse finished sixth in 2006 and eighth in 2007. This past fall he joined a handful of Luther runners who have earned all-conference and all-region honors three times.

After capturing the individual title at the Central Regional this past fall by almost a full six seconds, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association named McKay the NCAA III Central Region Cross Country Athlete of the Year.

Three times he has been named to both the Iowa Conference All-Academic team (3.50 gpa or higher) and the NCAA III All-Academic Men’s Cross Country Team.

Luther College has a long tradition of student-athletes receiving NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships. With this award, McKay becomes the 30th student-athlete and the seventh cross-country runner to earn this award, the third in the last three years.

McKay will graduate from Luther with a major in political science and a minor in environmental studies. He has been a member of the Dean’s list every semester and has a cumulative grade point average of 3.94.

Following graduation, McKay is planning on taking a year off and working in some kind of community service organization either teaching in Nepal or volunteering his time with AmeriCorps here in the United States.

McKay, a 2005 graduate of Iowa City High School, is the son of Jill and Robert McKay of Iowa City, Iowa.

Luther College, a four-year liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Church in America, is located in Decorah, Iowa. The Norse compete in 10 men’s and nine women’s intercollegiate sports.

As a member of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) since 1922, the men have won 145 conference championships. In 1982, the IIAC expanded its championship sponsorship to included women’s sports. During this time frame, the women have won 56 championships. Combined, the Norse have won an unmatched 201 IIAC titles.

-30-