BURNSVILLE, Minn. – For the fifth straight year, the University of Sioux Falls has had 11 or more senior student-athletes earn recognition as recipients of the NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award for the 2020-21 school year. USF had a program-best 18 on this list after 13 were honored a year ago.
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Commissioner Erin Lind announced that a record number 227 student-athletes from the NSIC's 16 institutions will receive the award in its 12th year, which is 33 more than last year's record of 194.
USF's total of 18 increased the school's total honorees to 203 since the award began 12 years ago. To earn the recognition, award recipients must senior student-athletes who maintain a grade point average of 3.75 or higher, in the process of exhausting their eligibility, and on track to graduate.
The 2020-21 USF honorees include:
Victoria Ambrosio-Cueto, tennis, MBA, Santa Rosa, Argentina;
Lily Frederickson, soccer, social work/psychology, Lino Lakes, Minn.;
Krista Goerger, volleyball, biology/chemistry, Cleveland, Minn.;
Nina Groene, swimming, mathematics, Mannheim, Germany;
Logan Hansen, track and field, theology and youth ministry/psychology, Hurley, S.D.;
Sydney Hubbard, golf, biology, Onalaska, Wis.;
Lexi Jonas, golf, exercise science, Hudson, Wis.;
Chantal Kasch, swimming, psychology/criminal justice, Stade, Germany;
Rachel Klatt, tennis, exercise science, Columbus, Neb.;
Payton Livingston, baseball, psychology/sociology, Brandon, S.D.;
Kyleigh Moran, golf, exercise science, Vermillion, S.D.;
Mercy Oyadare, track and field, criminal justice/media studies, Sioux City, Iowa;
Aleah Rohde, swimming, psychology, Anchorage, Alaska;
Charles Roskowiak, baseball, MBA, Andover, Minn.;
Bailey Rudebusch, track and field, exercise science, Howard, S.D.;
Ty Smith, football, MBA, Sioux Falls, S.D.;
Joelle Thorfinnson, tennis, MBA, Glenwood, Minn.; and
Cassie Van Beek, softball, elementary education, Rock Valley, Iowa.
"I am filled with pride on how our student-athletes in the NSIC continue to excel in the classroom, in the community and on the playing field. We continue to increase the number of student-athletes that have earned the Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award, which is a testament to the dedication of the student-athletes, coaches and administrators in our league. These are characteristics in which Dr. Myles Brand emphasized. I am extremely proud of all these student-athletes for their devotion to their universities, the NSIC and to their personal academic and athletic goals. I have no doubt these student-athletes will continue to achieve success in life well beyond the classroom and the competition venues," said Lind.
Along with the NSIC Commissioner, USF Director of Athletics
Pam Gohl also recognized the exemplary efforts that USF student-athletes make in the classroom, competition and meeting USF's Culture of Service.
"I am pleased and gratifieid to see our student-athletes consistently achieve at an extraordinarily high level," said Gohl. "We are very proud of them," she said.
Dr. Myles N. Brand, visionary leader, educator and reformer, served as the President of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) from 2003-2009. He passed away in September 2009 at the age of 67 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Brand presided over passage of the most comprehensive academic reform package for intercollegiate athletics in recent history – a package that refocused the attention of student-athletes, coaches and administrators on the education of student-athletes. Brand also changed the national dialog on college sports to emphasize the educational value of athletics participation and the integration of intercollegiate athletics with the academic mission of higher education. His impact on Division II ran deep by implementing an identity campaign and a strategic-positioning platform tied to specific divisional attributes. He challenged Division II to continue its game environment and community engagement focus, and improve academic success rates.
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with teams located in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.
