MU student-athlete honored for academic and athletic excellence
Millikin University senior Bradan Birt, of Epworth, Iowa, was named to the 2020-21 Academic All-America® Men's At-Large Second Team, selected by CoSIDA, recognizing the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.
Birt is the first wrestler in school history to earn Academic All-America recognition and the 78th Millikin student-athlete to be selected for the prestigious program that honors academic and athletic excellence.
Birt, a sports management major, was the 2021 National Champion at 165 pounds at the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) DIII Coaches Association National Championships where he was named the event's Most Outstanding Wrestler. This season Birt won his fourth College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) individual title and finished the season with a 15-0 record. Birt also excels in the classroom with a 3.58 cumulative grade point average.
Bradan Birt
Birt has a career record of 118-13. He has earned NWCA All-American honors four times. In 2019, he finished second in the NCAA DIII Most Dominant Wrestler Rankings. He is a three-time CCIW Academic All-Conference honoree and a three-time NWCA Scholar All-American.
Birt advanced to the national ballot after being selected to the Academic All-District® At-Large Team for District 7 in NCAA Division III in July (2021). The men's At-Large program covers student-athletes competing in fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming, tennis, volleyball, water polo and wrestling.
The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
The Division III CoSIDA Academic All-America® program is financially supported by the NCAA Division III national governance structure to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2020-21 Division III Academic All-America® program.
For more information on the Academic All-America® program, visit academicallamerica.com.