CLEVELAND, OHIO -- The University of Sioux Falls Athletics Department was among the leaders in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and NCAA DII as 108 student-athletes were named recipients of Division 2 Athletics Directors Association (D2 ADA) 2020-21 Academic Achievement Awards, announced recently. The DII ADA Academic Achievement Awards is a program which has recognized the academic accomplishments of student-athletes at the Division II level for the past 14 years.

In total, there were a record-breaking 16,164 student-athletes from 187 institutions recognized for the 2020-21 Academic Achievement Awards. This is the most student-athletes recognized since the inception of the award's program. 

"It is incredible to think that our athletes excelled in the classroom despite having to deal with the many stressors associated with COVID-19. To see once again that a record-breaking number of students are recipients of the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award is simply astonishing," said Dr. Bren Stevens, Vice President for Athletics at the University of Charleston and current D2 ADA President.
 
USF Director of Athletics Pam Gohl noted the focus and commitment of USF's student-athletes in a challenging time.
 
"We are extraordinarily proud of our student-athletes, who through challenging times with this CoVID-19 pandemic, excelled in the classroom, continued to be involved in service and performed at a high level in competition," said Gohl. "With 108 honorees, our student-athletes showed a significant level of achievement, commitment and focus," she said. 

DII ADA Academic Achievement Awards

Swimming - (10) Gigi Bario, senior, Atlanta, Ga.; Abigail Ford, sophomore, Grand Ledge, Mich.; Chantal Kasch, senior, Stade, Germany; Makenzy Kennedy, sophomore, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Giulia Fazza Marcon, senior, Juiz De Fora, Brazil; Samantha Mullvain, junior, Duluth, Minn.; Aleah Rohde, senior, Anchorage, Alaska; Alex Sanchez-Clark, senior, Canary Islands, Spain; Elizabeth Spaans, junior, Brandon, S.D.; Evelyn VanDeMark, senior, Alma, Mich.
 
Men's Track and Field - (9) David Ecker, junior, Eau Claire, Wis.; Logan Hansen, senior, Hurley, S.D.; Ethan Holm, junior, Becker, Minn.; Jacob Johnson, sophomore, White S.D.; Wil Modjeski, sophomore, Winona, Minn.; Seth Overholt, senior, Chester, S.D.; Jayden Slaba, junior, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Aaron Voigt, junior, Gregory, S.D.; Jaymeson Wolkow, sophomore, Alexandra, S.D.
 
Women's Track and Field – (25) Annika Aho, junior, Menahga, Minn.; Kayla Andersen, senior, Minnetonka, Minn.; Meara Beighley, sophomore, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Carolyn Bradley, junior, Lead, S.D.; Jailah Brice-Moore, sophomore, Stockton, Calif.; Zoe Cigard, junior, South Sioux City, Neb.; Hannah Ebert, junior, Beresford, S.D.; Lexi Frank, junior, Olivia, Minn.; KaNya Henderson, junior, Utica, Miss.; Emma Kenkel, sophomore, Storm Lake, Iowa; Anna Kenny, sophomore, Storm Lake, Iowa; Clara Leverich, junior, Lester Prairie, Minn.; Holly Mayers, sophomore, Albany, Minn.; Natalie Meyers, sophomore, Kansas City, Mo.; Sarah Micek, sophomore, Columbus, Neb.; Cassidy Noeldner, sophomore, Fort Collins, Colo.; Cassidy O'Meara, sophomore, Moorhead, Minn.; Emily Olson, senior, Champlin, Minn.; Mercy Oyadare, senior, Sioux City, Iowa; Miranda Phipps, senior, Anoka, Minn.; Kourtney Rozeboom, junior, Hills, Minn.; Karlee Simmons, sophomore, Keystone, S.D.; Taylor Stoltz, junior, Norfolk, Neb.; Lauren Wells, sophomore, Brandon, S.D.
 
Tennis – (6) Victoria Ambrosio-Cueto, junior, Santa Rosa Rio Primero, Argentina; Emily Applegate, junior, Casper, Wyo.; Rachel Klatt, senior, Columbus, Neb.; Lexi Miller, senior, Mankato, Minn.; Megan Quandt, senior, Henderson, Nev.; Joelle Thorfinnson, senior, Glenwood, Minn.
 
Men's Golf – (6) Brenden Bassing, senior, Sioux Falls, S.D.; JJ Cooney, senior, Pickstown, S.D.; Hank Eggebraaten, junior, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Jake Oetzmann, senior, Urbandale, Iowa; Nathan Woodall, junior, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Jacob Zosel, senior, Morris, Minn.
 
Women's Golf – (4) Lexi Hanson, senior, Chanhassen, Minn.; Sydney Hubbard, senior, Onalaska, Wis.; Lexi Jonas, senior, Hudson, Wis.; Kyleigh Moran, senior, Vermillion, S.D.
 
Baseball – (11) Ryan Bernardy, senior, Minneapolis, Minn.; Alex Bertram, sophomore, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Tyler Blackburn, junior, Gilbert, AZ; Isaac Frandsen, sophomore, Monticello, Minn.; Matt French, senior, Camanche, Iowa; Trey Hubers, junior, Brandon, S.D.; Connor King, junior, Rapid City, S.D.; Payton Livingston, senior, Brandon, S.D.; Ryan Meyer, senior, Brandon,  S.D.; Anthony Reese, senior, Las Vegas, Nev.; Charles Roskowiak, senior, Andover, Minn.
 
Softball – (9) Emily Cheloha, senior, Omaha, Neb.; Rachel Klassen, senior, Elkhorn, Neb.; Frankie Mickelson, senior, Rochester, Minn.; Peyton Senger, sophomore, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Kylan Straight, junior, Logan, Iowa; Lexie Swift, junior, Omaha, Neb.; Emmie Uitts, senior, Elkhorn, Neb.; Cassie Van Beek, senior, Rock Valley, Iowa; Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag, junior, Hull, Iowa
 
Football – (11) Brennan Moran, sophomore, North Sioux City, S.D.; Cal Botsford, sophomore, Sussex, Wis.; Josiah Jansen, sophomore, Orange City, Iowa; Adam Mullen, sophomore, Highlands Ranch, Colo.; Peter Narrai, sophomore, Franklin, Wisc.; Grant Rice, junior, Gayville, SD; Jack Schelhaas, senior, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Ben Sokup, junior, Altoona, Wis.; Joe Timp, sophomore, Cottage Grove, Minn.; Nathan Varns, junior, Sioux Falls, S.D.
 
Soccer – (7) Catie Caruso, sophomore, Greendale, Wis.; Lily Frederickson, junior, Lino Lakes, Minn.; Kyla Gushard, junior, Lincoln, Neb.; Taylor Kelley, junior, Sioux City, Iowa; Lauren LaFavre, senior, Burnsville, Minn.; Lindsey Power, senior, Lindstrom, Minn.; Olivia Valdez, senior, Broomfield, Colo.
 
Volleyball – (4) Krista Goerger, senior, Mankato, Minn.; Marlee Schneider, sophomore, Custer, S.D.; Nicole Jacobson, sophomore, Dakota Dunes, S.D.; Addie Smith, sophomore, Marquette, Neb.
 
Men's Basketball – (2) Austin Slater, senior, Andover, Minn.; Jack Thompson, sophomore, Eagan, Minn.
 
Women's Basketball – (4) Amanda Dagostino, senior, Andover, Minn.; Kiara James, junior, Lakeville, Minn.; KaSandra Springer, senior, Altoona, Wis.; Ashley Wells, sophomore, Brandon, S.D.