AUSTIN, Texas - Ryan Szklany is well on his way to becoming one of the most decorated student-athletes in Embry-Riddle men's cross country and track & field history. The junior from Lighthouse Point, Florida was named a College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) NCAA II Men's Cross Country/Track & Field Academic All-American on Wednesday for the second time in his collegiate career. Szkalny was the only male student-athlete from either the Sunshine State Conference or Peach Belt Conference to earn Academic All-America honors in cross country/track & field.

The award recognizes student-athletes for their combined performances in athletics and academics. To be eligible a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at minimum 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale). It is widely regarded as the most prestigious academic and athletic honor in collegiate athletics.

Szklany, who earned third team Academic All-America honors in 2019-20, repeats as a third team selection after another outstanding season for the Eagles in 2020-21. He earned first team All-Sunshine State Conference honors in cross country, helping the Eagles to their second SSC title in program history, by finishing fifth overall at the SSC Championship, also claiming SSC All-Championship Team accolades along the way. He is just the third runner in men's cross country program history to earn All-Conference honors three times.

Szklany also was a member of the 2021 Peach Belt Conference championship squad as the Blue and Gold took home its third consecutive league crown. Szklany was honored as the 2021 Peach Belt Elite 16 Award Winner which recognizes the student-athlete at the PBC Championship with the highest GPA, and GPAs don't typically get higher than Szklany's 4.0 in Civil Engineering.

Embry-Riddle's 2020-21 Steve & Vicky Ridder Scholarship winner was one of just eight engineering majors on the Academic All-America team, and also one of just eight on the roster with a perfect undergraduate GPA of 4.0.

Szklany's Academic All-America recognition is the 10th in ERAU men's cross country/track & field history, and the 93rd in Embry-Riddle Athletics history. The five Academic All-America honors in 2020-21 for ERAU Athletics matches 2019-20 and 2015-16 as the most in an academic year since the Blue and Gold became NCAA II members.