ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference (MIAC) announced the first-ever winners of a new
prestigious conference award Friday. St. Thomas Alex Kapraun and
Erin Dingmann were honored for their combined athletic and academic
achievement with the MIAC Elite 22 Award in men's and women's golf,
respectively.
The MIAC Elite 22 Award recognizes the true essence of the
student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the
pinnacle of competition at the conference championship level in his
or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard
among his or her peers. Modeled after the NCAA Elite 89 Award, the
MIAC Elite 22 Award is presented to the student-athlete with
the highest grade point average (GPA) in each sport who meet
similarly high, sport-specific athletic requirements.
The MIAC Elite 22 Award in men's and women's golf is presented
to the individual with the highest GPA that is a sophomore, junior
or senior and in at least his or her second season of competition
with their current team and recognized as a member of the
All-Championship Team at the MIAC Golf Championships, which
includes the top 10 individual finishers (including ties).
Kapraun was honored with the 2013-14 Men's Golf MIAC Elite 22
Award as a result of his combined excellence on the golf course and
in the classroom. He finished in a tie for sixth place individually
at the 2013 MIAC Men's Golf Championships while leading St. Thomas
to a second-place finish in the team standings. Kapraun carded a
total score of 10-over par 226 (73-79-74) to earn his
All-Championship Team honor, and with it, his third-straight
All-Conference honor when the awards are announced in May.
The Tommie junior has similarly high academic achievements. He
is a double major in Actuarial Science and Mathematics, and he has
a near-perfect 3.95 grade point average (GPA). Kapraun was named to
the MIAC Academic All-Conference team last fall as well.
Another St. Thomas student-athlete - Dingmann - was honored with
the 2013-14 Women's Golf MIAC Elite 22 Award as a result of her
combined excellence in athletics and academics. Dingmann finished
second individually at the 2013 MIAC Women's Golf Championships
while leading St. Thomas to the conference championship by a single
stroke over runner-up Carleton. Dingmann's final score of 231
(75-79-77) was just two shots behind the individual medalist and
good for a spot on the All-Championship Team. A year ago, Dingmann
was named the MIAC Women's Golf Rookie-of-the-Year.
The Tommie sophomore has also excelled in the classroom during
her time at St. Thomas. Dingmann is a Business Marketing major, and
she has a perfect 4.0 GPAC thus far in her college career.
A plaque will be provided to Kapraun and Dingmann to commemorate
their MIAC Elite 22 Award, and they are recognized on the MIAC
Elite 22 Award web site, which will archive each of the 22 winners
throughout the 2013-14 season.
The MIAC Elite 22 Award was modeled after the NCAA Elite 89
Award, which honors the student-athlete with the highest GPA at the
championship site for each of the NCAA's 89 sponsored-sports across
Divisions I, II and III. The award emerged from the MIAC's
strategic plan, and was unanimously approved by the conference's
governance structure in May.
| MIAC Elite 22 Award | 2013-14 MIAC Elite 22 Award Archive |