BURNSVILLE, Minn. - With a new school record 34 selections, Concordia-St. Paul tops the NSIC for the second time in the last three years for the most NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award winners, as announced by NSIC Commissioner Erin Lind. This year marks the 17th year of the league's prestigious academic award, with the Northern Sun student-athletes combining for a new league record 324 selections across its 16 member institutions.
Concordia's five highest NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction institutional totals have all been within the last five years.
The NSIC total has climbed nearly every year since 2013-14's 96 selections, with one exception, when the 2023-24 total of 261 was just three shy of the 2022-23 total.
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 324 student-athletes from the NSIC's 16 institutions will receive the award in its 17th year.
"It is incredibly rewarding to see NSIC student-athletes continue to thrive academically, serve their communities, and compete at a high level," said Lind. "Those qualities reflect the principles championed by Dr. Myles Brand, and they remain at the heart of what we value in this conference. I am proud of the commitment these student-athletes show to their institutions, the NSIC, and their own academic and athletic pursuits, and I am confident their success will extend far beyond their time in competition."
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 and www.northernsun.org websites)
| Name |
Sport |
Hometown |
Major(s) |
| Abid Alam |
Track & Field |
Rosemount, Minn. |
Biology |
| Darby Barstad |
Golf |
Gilette, Wyo. |
Sport Mgmt, Comm. Studies |
| Ethan Blischke |
Track/CC |
Waukesha, Wis. |
Criminal Justice Psychology |
| Andrew Boyum |
Track/CC |
Jackson, Minn. |
History |
| Jaden Burandt |
Football |
Anoka, Minn. |
Accounting |
| Ella Campbell |
Basketball |
Edina, Minn. |
Elementary Education |
| Alexis Celentano |
Soccer |
Cary, Ill. |
Finance |
| Nyadio Chan |
Track & Field |
Ames, Iowa |
Psychology |
| Giulia Cury |
Swim/Dive |
Belo Horizonte, Brazil |
Intl Business & Public Relations |
| Leah Dengerud |
Basketball |
Lino Lakes, Minn. |
Elementary Education |
| Lauren Feddema |
Basketball |
Buffalo, Minn. |
Biology |
| Cade Feist |
Track & Field |
St. Paul, Minn. |
Sociology |
| Luke Gombert |
Football |
Bulverde, Texas |
Education |
| Lydia Haack |
Basketball |
Elk River, Minn. |
Biology |
| Sophia Haase |
Soccer |
Monticello, Minn. |
Biology |
| Daniel Hornacek |
Football |
De Pere, Wis. |
Exercise Science |
| Emily Iafrate |
Soccer |
Cookstown, Ontario |
Exercise Science |
| Silvana Jacquez |
Swim/Dive |
Puebla, Mexico |
Finance |
| Trett Joles |
Baseball |
Boyceville, Wis. |
Finance |
| Sophia King |
Soccer |
Mequon, Wis. |
Criminal Justice |
| Neely Kunz |
Soccer |
Belgium, Wis. |
Exercise Science |
| Caroline Lauinger |
Soccer |
Blaine, Minn. |
Sport Management |
| Maya Lavendusky |
Track & Field |
Portage, Ind. |
Bio Chemistry |
| Camden Ludeman |
Football |
Lake Crystal, Minn. |
Finance |
| Dan Otto |
Track & Field |
Eau Claire, Wis. |
Education Health; Physical Ed |
| Lexi Pettit |
Soccer |
Mount Pleasant, Wis. |
Business Management |
| Chloe Rihon |
Swim & Dive |
Liege, Belgium |
Biology |
| Natalee Rolbiecki |
Volleyball |
Minneota, Minn. |
Exercise Science |
| Cassie Sieling |
Volleyball |
Bloomington, Minn. |
Mathematics |
| Ellie Sieling |
Volleyball |
Bloomington, Minn. |
Biology |
| Reed Styer |
Football |
Menomonie, Wis. |
Accounting |
| Drake Teal |
Football |
St. Paul, Minn. |
Exercise Science MS |
| Lauren Vacek |
Soccer |
Frisco, Texas |
Exercise Science |
| Sam Yager |
Football |
Racine, Wis. |
Exercise Science |
NSIC MYLES BRAND TOTALS:
2025-26: 324
2024-25: 263
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:
2025-26: 34
2024-25: 18
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
