Wayland Baptist University Pioneer cross country athletes Kydia Echols, Diana Gutierrez, and Kirby Dunn have been named as 2008 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athletes.

Echols, a senior from Harleton, Tex., has been an important part of the Pioneer women's team which finished sixth at the NAIA Cross Country Championships the past two years. She has a 3.52 grade point average as an Exercise and Sports Sciences major.

A junior from Dumas, Tex., Gutierrez has been hampered by injuries during her three years as a Pioneer. She was consistently the WBU women's number five runner this year until a stress fracture in her hip sidelined her. Gutierrez is a Spanish major with a 3.67 grade point average.

Dunn, a track and field All-American in the middle distances last year, is a junior from Bowie, Tex. A member of the 2006 Pioneer men's cross country team that finished 17th at nationals, Dunn has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while studying Business Administration.

All-American Scholar Athletes must be nominated by their head coach, be a junior or above in academic standing, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher, and meet certain statistical criteria.