WALLA WALLA, Wash. - Brad Changstrom, a key competitor on the Whitman College men's tennis the past four years, has earned Academic All-American honors for a second consecutive season.
Changstrom, who graduated from Whitman in late May, was named to ESPN the Magazine's At-Large Third Team in the College Division of District VIII. The division and district includes all NCAA Div. II/Div. III and NAIA schools in the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Hawaii, California, Utah, Nevada and Arizona, as well as British Columbia.
The At-Large teams represent student athletes in a variety of sports, including golf, skiing, gymnastics, ice hockey, swimming, lacrosse and tennis.
Changstrom, who majored in biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, compiled records of 17-7 in singles and 13-7 in doubles last spring for the defending Northwest Conference champion tennis team. He served as a team captain for a second consecutive season, and he was named NWC Sportsman of the Year for men's tennis.
A graduate of Thompson Valley High School (Loveland, Colo.), Changstrom volunteered two summers ago at McKee Medical Center in Loveland, dividing his time between the emergency room and assisting patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Last summer, he received a National Science Foundation undergraduate grant to work as an intern in the University of Notre Dame's Department of Biology, assisting with research into Huntington's Disease, a genetically programmed degeneration of brain cells.
During his senior year, Changstrom assisted Ginger Withers, a member of the Whitman biology faculty, with brain development research. He is continuing his research this summer with Withers and Chris Wallace, also a member of the biology faculty. He plans to pursue graduate studies in medicine or medical research.
Changstrom, the son of Craig and Linda Changstrom of Loveland, Colo., graduated cum laude from Whitman with honors in his major. He has been elected to Sigma Xi, an international honor society of research scientists and engineers.
The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) administers the Academic All-America program, which is in its 53rd year and has honored more than 14,000 students at all levels for all recognized NCAA sports.
Dave Holden, Whitman Sports Information, (509) 527-5902
Email: holden@whitman.edu