ST. PAUL, Minn. – The University of Wisconsin-Superior Yellowjackets won the 2023-24 Kruse Award following the conclusion of the collegiate athletics year this spring. This is the third consecutive Kruse Award won by the Yellowjackets and the third in Wisconsin-Superior history.
 
| UMAC Jerome Kruse Award Website |
| 2023-24 UMAC Kruse Award – Fall Update |
| 2023-24 UMAC Kruse Award – Winter Update | 

The award, named in honor of long-time Northwestern College (Wis.) and Martin Luther College athletic director Jerome Kruse, travels to the college with the most points accumulated by the place finishes of the college's athletic teams in the final standings of 18 conference sponsored sports.

The Yellowjackets finished the year atop the Kruse Award standings with 115.5 points after earning conference titles in four of the six UMAC spring championships: men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s outdoor track and field, and women’s outdoor track and field. UWS also tied for third place in both baseball and softball. Wisconsin-Superior finished the year having won 12 of the 18 UMAC regular season championships.
 
The University of Northwestern Eagles finished as the Kruse Award runner-up with 91 points. In the spring, UNW finished as the runner-up in baseball, men’s tennis, and women’s tennis. The Eagles also tied for third in softball and placed fourth in women’s outdoor track and field. Northwestern finished 2023-24 with two UMAC regular season championships: volleyball and women’s golf.

The Bethany Lutheran College Vikings finished third in the Kruse Award standings with 78.5 points. BLC’s spring was highlighted by a championship in baseball and a co-championship in softball. Along with their winter championship in men’s basketball, the Vikings finished the year with three UMAC regular season titles.
 
The Martin Luther College Knights finished fourth on the year with 70 points in the standings. MLC finished as runner-up in both men’s and women’s outdoor track and field this spring.
 
The University of Minnesota Morris Cougars and Crown College Polars were separated by a mere half-point in the final standings. The Cougars finished fifth with 66 points while the Polars right on their heels with 65.5 points in sixth. This spring, UMM won a co-championship in softball and Crown placed third in baseball. The Cougars finished the year with two regular season titles: their spring softball co-championship and their fall football championship.
 
UMM finished the year with two UMAC regular season championships, winning a co-championship in softball this spring and the football championship last fall. Crown’s spring with highlighted by a third-place finish in baseball.

The North Central University Rams and Northland College Lumberjacks/Lumberjills rounded out the Kruse Award standings. NCU finished with 34.5 points to place seventh. Northland finished in eighth with 25 points.