SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—South Dakota thrower Jessie Sullivan has been selected as the 2021-22 Summit League Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year as voted on by the league's faculty athletic representatives. The Summit League Scholar Athlete of the Year is the most prestigious individual award given by the league each season, recognizing student-athletes for their outstanding academic achievements, athletic achievements, attitude and leadership throughout the year.
 
Sullivan becomes the first male to earn the award in back-to-back years since 2012 and the fifth male all-time to win the award twice.
 
This marks the fifth time a Coyote has earned the league's top distinction and the fourth recognition by a member of USD's track and field program. The Coyotes' five honors since 2013 is tied for the lead amongst Summit institutions. The list includes Sullivan (2021, 2022), volleyball player Brittany Jessen (2018), national champion pole vaulter Bethany (Buell) Firsick (2014) and distance runner Jeff Mettler (2013).
 
"We are very proud of Jessie's accomplishments both in the classroom and in the ring," said USD Director of Track and Field & Cross Country Lucky Huber. "He is a model student-athlete. His work in the weight room, the classroom, the ring and our community serves as a great example for student-athletes throughout our region. We wish Jessie all the best as he progresses at UNMC and beyond."
 
Sullivan's trophy case includes nearly every notable academic honor awarded to athletes. In addition to his pair of Summit Scholar Athlete of the Year honors, he received the NCAA's postgraduate scholarship, CoSIDA Academic All-America first team status, four-time USTFCCCA All-Academic honors and five-time Academic All-Summit League honors.
 
"We are so proud of Jessie for receiving this tremendous Summit League honor for the second consecutive year," said USD Athletic Director David Herbster. "It is extremely hard to earn this honor once, let alone twice. It shows you the type of dedication and character Jessie possesses."
 
Sullivan is a two-time Summit League champion in the discus and a six-time all-league honoree. He qualified for the NCAA West Preliminary in both the discus and hammer throw for the second-straight season. He ranks in the top-five of USD history for the hammer throw, weight throw, discus, indoor shot put and outdoor shot put.
 
A native of Albion, Nebraska, Sullivan graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in chemistry while carrying a perfect undergraduate GPA of 4.00. He plans to attend the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska, next year.
 
During his undergraduate career, Sullivan participated in a pair of competitive research experiences: the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) and the Summer Program for Undergraduate Research in Addiction (SPURA). He also served as the president of the USD Mortar Board Chapter, which is a national honor society, organized a trio of blood drives with the American Red Cross and served with Alternative Week of Off-Campus Learning. In volunteering with AWOL, he cooked meals for families with children in the hospital, packaged groceries for students and senior citizens, cleaned homeless shelters and organized medical supplies for clinics in foreign countries.