UMAC Announces 2025 Scholar-Athlete Leadership Award Finalists

4/16/2025 10:00:00 AM

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 eight female and eight 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 23. The two award winners will be honored by their respective institutions and presented with a personalized plaque.

2025 UMAC FEMALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE LEADERSHIP AWARD FINALISTS
Name School Sport(s) Major(s)
Ashley Casper Bethany Lutheran Soccer  Legal Studies, Criminal Justice 
Ruth Brueckner Crown Track & Field, Cross Country  Sport Management 
Emma Dorn Martin Luther Basketball, Track & Field  Elementary Education, Chemistry Education
Hannah Selig Minnesota Morris Golf  History, Political Science
Anna Deichert North Central Soccer  American Sign Language Interpreting
Kodie Rempp Northland Basketball, Volleyball  Business and Psychology
Reganne Henning Northwestern Softball  Accounting
Jenna Anderson UW-Superior Volleyball  Accounting, Business Administration-Finance

2025 UMAC MALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE LEADERSHIP AWARD FINALISTS
Name School Sport(s) Major(s)
Drew Sagedahl Bethany Lutheran Basketball Physical and Health Education
Travis Verkuilen Crown Soccer  Elementary Education 
Matthew Hillmer Martin Luther Football, Track & Field  Pre-Seminary Studies, Biblical Languages
Christian Diederich Minnesota Morris Football  History, French
Crespin Herrera Il-Kult North Central Baseball  Sports Management
Andy Linder Northland Baseball  Biology and Natural Resources
Tim DeLoye Northwestern Soccer  Accounting
Alex Paredes UW-Superior Soccer, Track & Field  Major Business Administration
 

The UMAC is an NCAA Division III member comprised of eight full-time member schools from Minnesota and Wisconsin: Bethany Lutheran College, Crown College, Martin Luther College, North Central University, Northland College, University of Minnesota Morris, University of Northwestern, and University of Wisconsin-Superior.

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