Men's Swimming & Diving Ryan Klinkner, Saint John's University Athletic Media Relations Director

SJU’s Kern Nominated for 2025 Allstate NACDA Good Works Winter Team

NACDA Release

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's senior swimmer Colby Kern (Delano, Minn.) was named a nominee for the inaugural 2025 Allstate National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Good Works Winter Team on Thursday, Feb. 20.

Kern is one of 193 nominees for the 2025 Allstate NACDA Good Works Winter Team, one of 13 nominees from NCAA Division III (one of four on the men's side) and the lone representative from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC). Nominations were submitted for up to one female and one male student-athlete from each winter sport at an institution. Eligible schools and athletics programs must represent one of five intercollegiate athletics divisions: NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and Junior/Community Colleges. Nominees must have completed at least one year (two semesters) of college coursework at a two-year or four-year institution. 

Announced in December, the Allstate NACDA Good Works Team builds on the legacy of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, which has celebrated college football players' good work off the field since 1992. Now, 60 more student-athletes across all sports and all divisions will be honored annually – three groups of 20 representing the fall, winter and spring collegiate athletics seasons.

A distinguished selection committee will select 20 nominees – 10 female and 10 male student-athletes – to join the 2024-25 Allstate NACDA Good Works Team (Winter).

A mathematics major with a 3.57 GPA, Kern was a member of the 2023-24 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team and is a two-time Academic All-MIAC (minimum 3.5 GPA) honoree. In the pool, Kern is a 12-time All-MIAC honoree (top three at the MIAC Championships) and boasts SJU's fourth-fastest time in the 200-yard freestyle (1:42.53). He is a member of two SJU record relays, the 200-yard freestyle (1:22.31 in 2023) and 800-yard freestyle (6:46.79 in 2025). Kern earned his 12th All-MIAC distinction last night (Feb. 19) as a member of the Johnnies' MIAC-champion, 800-yard freestyle relay – the program's first title in the event. 

Outside of the pool, Kern is currently serving as SJU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) president and is in his third year with the organization overall. He started a Special Olympics regional swim meet on the SJU campus, which has steadily grown in the last three years under his leadership. Kern has also led SAAC's efforts for the annual, athlete-led meal-packing event for Kids Fighting Hunger next month on campus. Last year, Kern's efforts raised upwards of $20,000 that allowed him and almost 300 student-athletes to pack nearly 90,000 meals on a Sunday in Lent.

The second day of the MIAC Swimming and Diving Championships begins with prelims at 10:30 a.m. today (Thursday, Feb. 20), followed by finals at 6:30 p.m. at the University of Minnesota's Jean Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis.