UMAC announces 2021 Scholar-Athlete Leadership Award finalists
ST. PAUL, Minn.--- Each spring, the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) recognizes outstanding senior student-athletes who demonstrate a healthy balance by achieving excellence in academics, leadership, and service while participating in intercollegiate athletics, through the UMAC Scholar-Athlete Leadership Award.
This year, the UMAC has named nine female and nine male finalists who will be eligible to receive the UMAC Scholar-Athlete Leadership Award, the conference office announced Wednesday.
The UMAC Scholar-Athlete Leadership Award is presented to student-athletes who embody what it means to be an NCAA Division III student-athlete. Through this award, the UMAC recognizes the role athletics plays in developing leaders by rewarding athletes' excellence in the classroom as well as their service to the community.
The NCAA Division III student-athlete is unique among intercollegiate athletes because, at Division III institutions, student-athletes receive no financial aid for athletics participation. Such institutions emphasize the overall quality of the educational experience and the successful completion of the student's academic program; athletic participation is an important part of that educational experience. Division III provides opportunities for student-athletes to be a part of numerous campus activities in addition to athletics, and these finalists have maximized those opportunities.
Finalists are nominated by each institution and the winners are selected by the UMAC Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives. Winners of the Scholar-Athlete Leadership Award – which will be given to one male and one female – will be announced Wednesday, April 14. The two award winners will be honored by their respective institutions and presented with a personalized plaque.
2021 UMAC Female Scholar-Athlete Leadership Award Finalists
| Katie Archer |
Crown College |
Two Harbors, Minn./Two Harbors |
Basketball, Soccer |
| Bailey Brewster |
North Central University |
Burnsville, Minn./Homeschool |
Basketball, Track and Field |
| Madissen Burns |
College of St. Scholastica |
Watertown, Minn./Watertown-Mayer |
Volleyball |
| Sarah (Presler) Johnson |
Bethany Lutheran College |
Brandon, S.D./Brandon Valley |
Cross Country, Softball, Track and Field |
| Erika Rosenbaum |
Martin Luther College |
Saint Joseph, Mich./Michigan Lutheran |
Soccer, Softball |
| Jordan Sauve |
University of Northwestern |
Blaine, Minn./Blaine |
Basketball |
| Kelsie Shields |
Northland College |
Washburn, Wis./Washburn |
Soccer |
| Sam Tate |
University of Minnesota Morris |
Covington, Wash./Kentwood |
Soccer, Tennis |
| Emily Wald |
University of Wisconsin-Superior |
Antigo, Wis./Antigo |
Tennis |
2021 UMAC Male Scholar-Athlete Leadership Award Finalists
| Vincent Ayodi |
Bethany Lutheran College |
Nairobi, Kenya, Sendl |
Soccer |
| Adrian Bethel |
Northland College |
Eau Claire, Wis./Eau Claire Memorial |
Baseball |
| Seth Betts |
Crown College |
St. George, Utah/Desert Hills |
Baseball |
| Blake Haugen |
University of Minnesota Morris |
Blaine, Minn./Centennial |
Baseball |
| Noah Gross |
North Central University |
Atlanta, Ga./Archer |
Golf |
| Caleb Quernemoen |
University of Northwestern |
Becker, Minn./Becker |
Tennis |
| Ryan Steger |
College of St. Scholastica |
Eagan, Minn./Eagan |
Cross Country, Track and Field |
| Pontus Tavemark |
University of Wisconsin-Superior |
Taeby, Sweden/Taeby Enskilden Gymnsium |
Soccer |
| Joshua Thiesfeldt |
Martin Luther College |
Fond du Lac, Wis./Winnebago Lutheran Academy |
Baseball, Soccer |