Engineering students lead SDSU to football title

Led by two academic All-Americans, 13 SDSU student-athletes majoring in engineering had a role in leading South Dakota State University to its second straight Football Championship Subdivision national title Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas.

Repeating as championship game MVP was quarterback Mark Gronowski, who in addition to being named as one of the 52 academic all-stars, was also named as one of 13 finalists for the FCS Athletics Directors Association Postgraduate Scholarship. Two student-athletes receive $5,000 awards.

Gronowski, who has two years of athletic eligibility remaining, is slated to graduate in May with a degree in mechanical engineering. He holds a 3.71 GPA.

The Naperville, Illinois, native passed for 175 yards and a touchdown and ran for 53 yards and a touchdown in leading the Jacks to a 23-3 title victory over Montana. Earlier in the championship week, he was named the Walter Payton Award winner as top offensive player in the FCS and the FCS Athletics Directors Association Offensive Player of the Year.

Joining Gronowski on the academic all-star list is Adam Bock, a graduate student in mechanical engineering with a 3.84 GPA. He had a team-leading 11 tackles in the championship tilt, none bigger than a first-quarter fourth-down goal line stop from the 1-yard line. For the season, he finished third on the team in tackles despite missing five of the undefeated squad’s 15 games.

Sanjeev Kumar, dean of the Lohr College of Engineering, said, “We are truly proud of our student-athletes. What these young men have accomplished on the football field is amazing. Their dedication, determination and ability to deliver, even under tremendous pressure, is obvious when they are in the field.

“However, what is more important is that they are able to replicate these qualities in equally demanding engineering courses. They are our best students. The hard work each one of them put in on the field and in the weight room is mirrored by the effort they give in the classroom. They are the perfect examples of how discipline and hard work leads to success.”

The 13 engineering students listed by their academic year are:

• Adam Bock, graduate, linebacker, construction and operations management.

• Bo Donald, senior, offensive lineman, construction and operations management.

• Mark Gronowski, senior, quarterback, mechanical engineering.

• Andrew Gustad, sophomore, linebacker, civil and environmental engineering.

• Aaron Kusler, junior, linebacker, construction and operations management.

• Mason McCormick, senior, offensive line, construction and operations management.

• Michael Morgan, senior, tight end, civil and environmental engineering.

• Ian Mutchler, freshman, offensive line, computer science.

• Joseph Neumann, freshman, tight end, mechanical engineering.

• Joe Roll, sophomore, wide receiver, electrical engineering/computer science.

• Davion Sterner, senior, linebacker, construction and operations management.

• Davin Stoffel, freshman, tight end, mechanical engineering.

• Ryan Van Marel, graduate, defensive tackle, construction and operations management.

• Nick Wells, sophomore, defensive end, construction and operations management.