Freeland, Mich. -- The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) has announced that Calvin University's Jonathan Ellis has been selected as the recipient of the 2021 Albert L. Deal Male Scholar-Athlete Award.

The Albert L. Deal Male Scholar-Athlete Award recognizes a senior male student-athlete from an MIAA member college who has excelled in academics and athletics while displaying outstanding leadership qualities. The award is named in honor of Albert L. Deal, who served as MIAA commissioner from 1971 to 1991.

The MIAA had eight outstanding nominations for this award.  “We had a difficult time choosing just one student-athlete for this award with the number of deserving nominations,” commented MIAA Commissioner Penny Allen-Cook.  “Jonathan well-represents the MIAA and Division III with his impressive balance and success in athletics, academics, and community service.”

Jonathan Ellis is from Baltimore, Maryland. He is a graduate of Towson High School.

Ellis has been a four-year member of the Calvin men's cross country team and a four-year member of the Calvin men's indoor and outdoor track and field program.

In the classroom, Ellis was an eight-time Dean's List student while majoring in computer science and minoring in mathematics. He was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team in 2020.

As a junior in the fall of 2019, Ellis had a sensational cross country campaign. During the season, he took first at the MIAA Championships to receive MIAA Most Valuable Runner honors and a spot on the All-MIAA First Team. He then placed 2nd at the Great Lakes Regional meet to land a spot on the Great Lakes All-Region team. At the NCAA III Championships he placed 18th to claim All-America honors for the first time in his collegiate career.

During the 2020 indoor track and field season, he was the MIAA Champion in the 5,000 meter run while also taking third in the 3,000 meter run at the conference championships. He was later named the MIAA Indoor Track and Field Most Valuable Runner. He later qualified for the 2020 NCAA III Indoor Track and Field Championships in the 3000 meters and was named a USTFCCCA Division III All-American.

This past winter, Ellis claimed a league title at the 2021 MIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, winning the 5,000 meter run. He was later named to the 2021 All-MIAA Indoor Track and Field Team.

During the 2019 outdoor season, he claimed an MIAA title in the 10,000 meter run to earn a spot on the All-MIAA team while helping the Knights capture their seventh straight MIAA outdoor title. He later landed a spot on the Great Lakes All-Region team and qualified for the NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 10,000 meter run. At the national meet he placed 19th. With the 2020 outdoor track and field season wiped out by the Covid-19 pandemic, Ellis returned to the outdoor track this spring. At the 2021 MIAA Championships, he took home the second 10,000 meter title of his career. He was later named to the All-MIAA Team for the second time in three years.

Ellis graduated from Calvin this past May. Next fall, he plans to teach English in the country of Jordan.

Ellis is the son of Dan Ellis and Sarah Ellis.

Also nominated for the award are:

Jack Beakas, Trine University

Caden Ebeling, Albion College

Matthew Howrey, Kalamazoo College

Evan Maday, Hope College

Tyler Peck, Olivet College

Gunner Rainey, Adrian College

Brandon Ralston, Alma College