BURNSVILLE, Minn. - Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Commissioner Erin Lind is excited to announce the 15th annual NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award winners, with Concordia-St. Paul leading the NSIC with a school record 33 selections in 2023-24.
Concordia has now had its three highest totals of Myles Brand Award winners in the last three years, with 24 in 2021-22 and 17 last year in 2022-23.
The honor, named for the late NCAA President Dr. Myles Brand, is bestowed to NSIC academic senior student-athletes who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher (student-athletes can only earn the award once). Each student-athlete will be recognized by the NSIC with a certificate of achievement and a wristwatch. A total of 262 student-athletes from the NSIC's 15 institutions will receive the award in its 15th year.
"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. 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.
The NSIC had increased its recipient total every year starting with 80 in 2012-13 in the fourth year of the award, increasing annually to the 2022-23 record total of 264. This year's 262 league-wide recipients is just two shy of that record, and is the second most in a year by a margin of 19.
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.
About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 15-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men's league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women's league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 25 team national championships and crowned 111 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.
About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA's three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.
(some text taken from www.NCAA.org web site)
| Name |
Sport(s) |
Hometown |
Major(s) |
| Sophia Andersen |
Volleyball |
New Prague, Minn. |
Mathmatics BS; Data Analytics MA |
| Halle Bemmels |
Volleyball |
Le Sueur, Minn. |
Biology |
| Makenna Berger |
Volleyball |
Eden Prairie, Minn. |
Psychology & Biology |
| Olivia Cole |
Track/CC |
Farmington, Minn. |
Computer Science |
| Conner Cordts |
Football |
Peoria, Ariz. |
5-12 Health & K-12 Physical Education |
| Parker Dahlman |
Football |
Blaine, Minn. |
Coaching & Sport Psychology |
| Lamine Diaby-Gassama |
Baseball |
Oakdale, Minn. |
Exercise Science |
| Drew Enke |
Football |
Clear Lake, Iowa |
Sport Communication |
| Aryana Forsberg |
Volleyball |
Shakopee, Minn. |
Psycholgy BS; Family Science MA |
| Corynn Grabau |
Soccer |
Andover, Minn. |
Business Management |
| Clara Heislen |
Softball |
Las Vegas, Nev. |
5-12 Health & K-12 PE, Lutheran Teacher Cert. |
| Matthew Helser |
Track/CC |
Big Lake, Minn. |
Sport Management |
| Brayden Hilgemann |
Football |
Marshall, Minn. |
Business Management |
| Alexus Houston |
Softball |
Forreston, Ill. |
History & Public Policy |
| Jessi Jordan |
Soccer |
Rogers, Minn. |
Exercise Science |
| Kora Kritzberger |
Volleyball |
Ada, Minn. |
Biology |
| Eric Lundell |
Baseball |
North Aurora, Ill. |
Exercise Science - Athletic Training |
| Sophie Pawlyshyn |
Soccer |
Chanhassen, Minn. |
5-12 Social Studies Secondary Education |
| Sammy Ponsonby |
Soccer |
Lakeville, Minn. |
Sport Management |
| Ben Rasinski |
Golf |
Lakeville, Minn. |
Accounting |
| Callie Reintsma |
Track |
Billings, Mont. |
Elementary Education |
| Kahlil Robinson |
Football |
Cypress, Texas |
Sport Management |
| Beau Ruby |
Football |
Elk River, Minn. |
Exercise Science |
| Jackson Savre |
Football |
Hermantown, Minn. |
Individually Designed major |
| Annalise Scamehorn |
Softball |
New Brighton, Minn. |
Mathmatics BS; Data Analytics MA |
| Logan Shaffer |
Baseball |
Rosemount, Minn. |
5-12 Health & K-12 Physical Education |
| Jalyn Shaw |
Basketball |
Herriman, Utah |
Sport Management |
| Teagan Starkey |
Volleyball |
Lakeville, Minn. |
Acuary Science |
| Payton Stier |
Volleyball |
Lakeville, Minn. |
Biology |
| Anna Tollette |
Golf |
Ramsey, Minn. |
Accounting & Mathmematics |
| Laura Vekony |
Swim & Dive |
Budapest, Hungary |
Finance |
| Richard Wauer |
Football |
Muskego, Wis. |
Biochemistry |
| Jaden Werner |
Baseball |
Crivitz, Wis. |
Sport Management |
NSIC MYLES BRAND TOTALS:
2023-24: 261
2022-23: 264
2021-22: 242
2020-21: 227
2019-20: 194
2018-19: 156
2017-18: 147
2016-17: 142
2015-16: 132
2014-15: 113
2013-14: 96
2012-13: 80
2011-12: 83
2010-11: 82
2009-10: 75
CONCORDIA MYLES BRAND TOTALS:
2023-24: 32
2022-23: 17
2021-22: 24
2020-21: 14
2019-20: 8
2018-19: 15
2017-18: 12
2016-17: 9
2015-16: 11
2014-15: 4
2013-14: 10
2012-13: 11
2011-12: 7
2010-11: 5
2009-10: 8
