SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – North Dakota State seniors Zach Johnson and Payton Smith were voted to the Summit League Academic All-League Team for the 2023 men's cross country season, the league office announced Tuesday.
 
Johnson owns a 3.85 cumulative GPA pursuing a master's degree in agribusiness and applied economics, after earning his bachelor's degree in quantitative economics with a minor in computer science. He led NDSU with a third-place finish at the Summit League Championships – the best performance by a Bison at the conference meet since 2007.
 
Smith has a 3.89 cumulative GPA as a double major in exercise science and psychology. He placed 12th at the Summit League Championships to earn second-team all-league honors. Smith was among NDSU's top five finishers at every meet this season.
 
 
2023 Summit League Men's Cross Country Academic All-League Team
 

Name	School	Year	Hometown	GPA	Major
Daniel Burkhalter	South Dakota State	Sr.	Prairie City, S.D.	4.0	Statistics
Zach Johnson	North Dakota State	Sr.	Moorhead, Minn.	3.85	Agribusiness & Applied Economics
Will Lohr	South Dakota State	So.	Sioux City, Iowa	3.94	Civil Engineering
Luke Labatte	North Dakota	Sr.	Inver Grove Heights, Minn.	3.87	Commercial Aviation
Payton Smith	North Dakota State	Sr.	Carrington, N.D.	3.89	Exercise Science and Psychology