MIAC Elite Scholar-Athlete Award

The MIAC Elite Scholar-Athlete Award (formerly known as the "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 their sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among their peers.

Modeled after the NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award, the MIAC Elite Scholar-Athlete Award was founded in 2013 and is presented to the student-athlete with the highest grade point average (GPA) in each sport who meets similarly high, sport-specific athletic requirements. Complete details are available online, and year-by-year Elite Scholar-Athlete Award winners are listed below.

Elite Scholar-Athlete Award 2013-14–2025-26 · 267 winners

One winner is named per MIAC sport per year. 2019-20 and 2020-21 are shortened seasons due to COVID-19 (see Methodology below).

Year Sport Recipient Institution Class
2025-26 Women's Tennis Allison Szalay Gustavus Adolphus College Sr.
2025-26 Women's Indoor Track & Field Ashlyn Jore St. Olaf College Sr.
2025-26 Women's Outdoor Track & Field Ashlyn Jore St. Olaf College Sr.
2025-26 Men's Golf Blake Forrest Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2025-26 Volleyball Brooke Andries College of Saint Benedict Jr.
2025-26 Men's Soccer Carter Sheard Bethel University Jr.
2025-26 Men's Tennis Carter Sheard Bethel University Jr.
2025-26 Women's Golf Catherine Jance College of Saint Benedict Sr.
2025-26 Baseball Collin Kray Saint John's University Sr.
2025-26 Men's Hockey Connor Abric Saint Mary's University Jr.
2025-26 Women's Swimming & Diving Hailey Westrup Carleton College Jr.
2025-26 Women's Soccer Hazel Waters Macalester College Sr.
2025-26 Women's Cross Country Ingrid Norquist Macalester College Jr.
2025-26 Men's Basketball Isaac Dearborn Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2025-26 Men's Swimming & Diving Jackson Rankin Carleton College Jr.
2025-26 Men's Indoor Track & Field Jade Anstine Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2025-26 Men's Outdoor Track & Field Jade Anstine Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2025-26 Women's Hockey Jamie Bimberg College of Saint Benedict Sr.
2025-26 Volleyball Kate Stadum College of Saint Benedict Jr.
2025-26 Softball Lauren Lambert Gustavus Adolphus College Sr.
2025-26 Women's Basketball Lindsey Lettner Saint Mary's University Sr.
2025-26 Football Tyler Drury Bethel University Jr.
2025-26 Men's Cross Country Tyler Edwards Macalester College Sr.
2024-25 Baseball Collin Kray Saint John's University Sr.
2024-25 Football D.J. Myles Saint John's University Sr.
2024-25 Women's Hockey Elizabeth Fagerlind Augsburg University Sr.
2024-25 Men's Tennis Gage Gohl Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2024-25 Women's Indoor Track & Field Hailey Gregg Bethel University Sr.
2024-25 Women's Outdoor Track & Field Hailey Gregg Bethel University Sr.
2024-25 Women's Cross Country Josie Harms Bethel University Gr.
2024-25 Women's Tennis Kaya De Bruijn Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2024-25 Women's Golf Laura Beltman Bethel University Sr.
2024-25 Volleyball Lexie Petrick St. Catherine University Sr.
2024-25 Women's Basketball Lindsey Lettner Saint Mary's University Jr.
2024-25 Women's Soccer Mallory Johnson St. Catherine University Gr.
2024-25 Women's Swimming & Diving Marit Isaacson Gustavus Adolphus College Sr.
2024-25 Men's Hockey Matt Berezowski Bethel University Jr.
2024-25 Men's Swimming & Diving Nick Starcevich St. Olaf College Jr.
2024-25 Men's Soccer Ryan Swanda Bethel University Jr.
2024-25 Men's Basketball Ryan Thissen Saint John's University Sr.
2024-25 Softball Sarah Posey St. Catherine University Sr.
2024-25 Men's Golf Tim Fultz Saint John's University Jr.
2024-25 Men's Cross Country Tyler Smith Gustavus Adolphus College Sr.
2024-25 Men's Indoor Track & Field Tyler Smith Gustavus Adolphus College Sr.
2024-25 Men's Outdoor Track & Field Zach Martin St. Olaf College Jr.
2023-24 Football Aaron Ellingson Bethel University Jr.
2023-24 Men's Hockey Andrew Revering Bethel University Jr.
2023-24 Women's Indoor Track & Field Annessa Ihde Bethel University Sr.
2023-24 Women's Outdoor Track & Field Annessa Ihde Bethel University Sr.
2023-24 Women's Tennis Ashley Tarrolly College of Saint Benedict Jr.
2023-24 Women's Hockey Elizabeth Fagerlind Augsburg University Jr.
2023-24 Women's Cross Country Fiona Smith College of Saint Benedict Sr.
2023-24 Men's Basketball Gabe Siler Bethel University Jr.
2023-24 Women's Golf Greta McArthur Bethel University Jr.
2023-24 Women's Basketball Greta Tollefson Concordia College Jr.
2023-24 Softball Hannah Peschel St. Olaf College Sr.
2023-24 Men's Soccer Ian Staresinic Macalester College Jr.
2023-24 Men's Golf Jacob Hall Bethel University Jr.
2023-24 Men's Tennis Jonas Abeleda The College of St. Scholastica Jr.
2023-24 Women's Soccer Mallory Johnson St. Catherine University Sr.
2023-24 Women's Swimming & Diving Marit Isaacson Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2023-24 Baseball Matthew Carlsen Bethel University Sr.
2023-24 Volleyball Olivia Thompson College of Saint Benedict Sr.
2023-24 Men's Cross Country Reece McKee Macalester College Jr.
2023-24 Men's Indoor Track & Field Tommy Allen Saint John's University Sr.
2023-24 Men's Outdoor Track & Field Tommy Allen Saint John's University Sr.
2023-24 Men's Swimming & Diving Tyler Teichmiller Gustavus Adolphus College Sr.
2022-23 Men's Soccer Aidan Becken Saint John's University Sr.
2022-23 Women's Indoor Track & Field Annessa Ihde Bethel University Jr.
2022-23 Women's Outdoor Track & Field Annessa Ihde Bethel University Jr.
2022-23 Men's Indoor Track & Field Carter Grove Saint John's University Jr.
2022-23 Men's Outdoor Track & Field Carter Grove Saint John's University Jr.
2022-23 Women's Cross Country Fiona Smith College of Saint Benedict Jr.
2022-23 Men's Tennis Hunter Fischer Saint John's University Sr.
2022-23 Men's Swimming & Diving Jack Grabinski Saint John's University Sr.
2022-23 Football Jackson Kirchoff Bethel University Jr.
2022-23 Softball Julia Azure St. Catherine University Sr.
2022-23 Women's Soccer Julia Kispert Macalester College Sr.
2022-23 Women's Basketball Larisa O'Neil Hamline University Jr.
2022-23 Men's Hockey Lukas Haugen St. Olaf College Jr.
2022-23 Women's Tennis Maria Bedford College of Saint Benedict Sr.
2022-23 Volleyball Marley Webb Bethel University Jr.
2022-23 Baseball Matthew Carlsen Bethel University Jr.
2022-23 Men's Golf Nate Loxtercamp Saint John's University Jr.
2022-23 Women's Hockey Payton Allen Augsburg University Sr.
2022-23 Men's Basketball Ryan Thissen Saint John's University Jr.
2022-23 Women's Swimming & Diving Sammi Friedrich St. Catherine University Sr.
2022-23 Women's Golf Sydney Monge St. Olaf College Jr.
2022-23 Men's Cross Country Tommy Allen Saint John's University Jr.
2021-22 Women's Soccer Abby Willenbring College of Saint Benedict So.
2021-22 Women's Tennis Alli Laux Gustavus Adolphus College So.
2021-22 Volleyball Allie Fauth Bethel University Sr.
2021-22 Women's Indoor Track & Field Annessa Ihde Bethel University So.
2021-22 Women's Basketball Betsy Schoenrock Gustavus Adolphus College Sr.
2021-22 Women's Golf Erin Ericson Gustavus Adolphus College Sr.
2021-22 Women's Cross Country Evelyn Villalobos Gustavus Adolphus College So.
2021-22 Softball Hannah Peschel St. Olaf College So.
2021-22 Men's Swimming & Diving Josh Wu Carleton College So.
2021-22 Women's Hockey Kayla Vrieze Gustavus Adolphus College Sr.
2021-22 Men's Soccer Kristian Noll St. Olaf College Sr.
2021-22 Men's Hockey Lukas Haugen St. Olaf College So.
2021-22 Football Mateo Cisneros Saint John's University So.
2021-22 Baseball Matthew Carlson Bethel University So.
2021-22 Men's Golf Nate Loxtercamp Saint John's University So.
2021-22 Men's Tennis Nick Aney Gustavus Adolphus College Sr.
2021-22 Men's Basketball Ryan Thissen Saint John's University So.
2021-22 Women's Swimming & Diving Sammi Friedrich St. Catherine University So.
2021-22 Men's Cross Country Stephen Lavey Carleton College Sr.
2021-22 Men's Indoor Track & Field Tommy Allen Saint John's University So.
2021-22 Men's Outdoor Track & Field Tommy Allen Saint John's University So.
2021-22 Women's Outdoor Track & Field Tracy Renier College of Saint Benedict Sr.
2020-21 Women's Tennis Anna Leary University of St. Thomas Jr.
2020-21 Baseball Kyle Winchlinski University of St. Thomas So.
2020-21 Softball Mackenzie Rudy University of St. Thomas So.
2020-21 Men's Tennis Nick Aney Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2020-21 Women's Golf Sydney Regalado Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2020-21 Men's Golf Thomas Gutzmer Saint John's University So.
2020-21 Women's Outdoor Track & Field Tracy Reiner College of Saint Benedict Jr.
2020-21 Men's Outdoor Track & Field Zach Haire University of St. Thomas So.
2019-20 Women's Soccer Ana Ortiz Augsburg University So.
2019-20 Women's Golf Ana Schwarz Bethel University So.
2019-20 Men's Basketball Burt Hedstrom University of St. Thomas Jr.
2019-20 Football Chris Backes Saint John's University Jr.
2019-20 Men's Cross Country Elliot Kadrofske St. Olaf College Sr.
2019-20 Women's Cross Country Helen Dolan Hamline University Jr.
2019-20 Men's Swimming & Diving Jack Heinzel Carleton College Jr.
2019-20 Men's Indoor Track & Field Kaleb Keener University of St. Thomas So.
2019-20 Women's Hockey Kayla Vrieze Gustavus Adolphus College So.
2019-20 Volleyball Mackenzie Korbel University of St. Thomas So.
2019-20 Women's Swimming & Diving Macy Klein St. Catherine University So.
2019-20 Women's Indoor Track & Field Mariah Terhaar University of St. Thomas Sr.
2019-20 Women's Basketball Megan Boegel Bethel University So.
2019-20 Men's Golf Preston Kopel Saint John's University Jr.
2019-20 Men's Soccer Trace Dobson Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2019-20 Men's Hockey Tyler Bossert Concordia College Jr.
2018-19 Women's Golf Abby Euyang Carleton College So.
2018-19 Women's Basketball Ashley Juza University of St. Thomas So.
2018-19 Women's Cross Country Becca Wilkin University of St. Thomas So.
2018-19 Men's Golf Brett Buckingham Augsburg University Jr.
2018-19 Baseball Carter Clemensen Gustavus Adolphus College So.
2018-19 Football Chris Backes Saint John's University So.
2018-19 Men's Soccer David Rubin Carleton College So.
2018-19 Men's Basketball David Stokman Saint John's University Sr.
2018-19 Women's Swimming & Diving Haley Pesik Gustavus Adolphus College Sr.
2018-19 Volleyball Hunter Weiss College of Saint Benedict So.
2018-19 Men's Hockey Jake Larson Augsburg University Sr.
2018-19 Softball Jaylen Heller University of St. Thomas Jr.
2018-19 Men's Swimming & Diving John Loepfe St. Olaf College Jr.
2018-19 Women's Hockey Madison Kolbow Hamline University So.
2018-19 Women's Tennis Maggie Riermann Bethel University So.
2018-19 Women's Indoor Track & Field Mariah Terhaar University of St. Thomas Jr.
2018-19 Women's Outdoor Track & Field Mariah Terhaar University of St. Thomas Jr.
2018-19 Women's Soccer McKenna Peplinski University of St. Thomas So.
2018-19 Men's Tennis Michael O'Neil Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2018-19 Men's Cross Country Parker Rosenau University of St. Thomas Sr.
2018-19 Men's Outdoor Track & Field Parker Rosenau University of St. Thomas Sr.
2018-19 Men's Indoor Track & Field Tris Dodge Carleton College Sr.
2017-18 Women's Cross Country Annika Halverson Bethel University Sr.
2017-18 Football Austin Coates University of St. Thomas So.
2017-18 Men's Golf Brett Buckingham Augsburg University So.
2017-18 Men's Hockey Brett Bukowski Augsburg University Sr.
2017-18 Men's Soccer Drew Winkoski University of St. Thomas So.
2017-18 Volleyball Ellie Meyer University of St. Thomas So.
2017-18 Women's Basketball Elsa Anderson University of St. Thomas So.
2017-18 Women's Indoor Track & Field Hannah Sonsalla Macalester College Sr.
2017-18 Women's Outdoor Track & Field Hannah Sonsalla Macalester College Sr.
2017-18 Softball Jaylen Heller University of St. Thomas So.
2017-18 Men's Swimming & Diving Joe Herrli University of St. Thomas So.
2017-18 Men's Indoor Track & Field Karl Wachter University of St. Thomas So.
2017-18 Women's Tennis Katie Aney Gustavus Adolphus College Sr.
2017-18 Men's Cross Country Matthew Burgstahler Saint John's University Sr.
2017-18 Men's Outdoor Track & Field Matthew Burgstahler Saint John's University Sr.
2017-18 Baseball Michael Bohlke Bethel University Jr.
2017-18 Men's Tennis Michael O'Neil Gustavus Adolphus College So.
2017-18 Women's Swimming & Diving Nicole Herrli University of St. Thomas Sr.
2017-18 Women's Hockey Paulina Scheid Gustavus Adolphus College So.
2017-18 Men's Basketball Robbie Whitney Bethel University So.
2017-18 Women's Soccer Sophie Leininger Gustavus Adolphus College Sr.
2017-18 Women's Golf Ziyi Wang Carleton College Jr.
2016-17 Men's Soccer Andrew Stuempfig University of St. Thomas So.
2016-17 Men's Cross Country Carston Dammann Gustavus Adolphus College Sr.
2016-17 Football Carter Hanson Saint John's University Sr.
2016-17 Men's Hockey Chris Nuth Augsburg College Sr.
2016-17 Men's Basketball David Stokman Saint John's University So.
2016-17 Men's Indoor Track & Field David Supinski Concordia College So.
2016-17 Men's Tennis Gabe Steinwand Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2016-17 Volleyball Jillian Krier Bethel University Jr.
2016-17 Women's Tennis Katie Aney Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2016-17 Women's Cross Country Kimber Meyer Macalester College Sr.
2016-17 Women's Indoor Track & Field Kimber Meyer Macalester College Sr.
2016-17 Women's Outdoor Track & Field Kimber Meyer Macalester College Sr.
2016-17 Men's Golf Mack Farley Saint John's University Sr.
2016-17 Softball Mary-Clare Coulliard Hamline University Sr.
2016-17 Women's Soccer McKenna Peplinski University of St. Thomas So.
2016-17 Women's Hockey Megan Johnson Augsburg College So.
2016-17 Baseball Michael Bohlke Bethel University So.
2016-17 Women's Golf Natalie Amundson College of Saint Benedict So.
2016-17 Men's Swimming & Diving Nick Cox University of St. Thomas Sr.
2016-17 Women's Swimming & Diving Nicole Herrli University of St. Thomas Jr.
2016-17 Women's Basketball Paige Gernes University of St. Thomas Sr.
2016-17 Men's Outdoor Track & Field Parker Rosenau University of St. Thomas So.
2015-16 Women's Outdoor Track & Field Aimee Junget University of St. Thomas Sr.
2015-16 Women's Hockey Caroline Kivisto Bethel University Sr.
2015-16 Men's Hockey Daniel Tripicchio Saint John's University Jr.
2015-16 Football David Simmet University of St. Thomas Sr.
2015-16 Women's Golf Erin Dingmann University of St. Thomas Sr.
2015-16 Men's Tennis Gabe Steinwand Gustavus Adolphus College So.
2015-16 Men's Golf Jack Riester University of St. Thomas Sr.
2015-16 Men's Cross Country Jacob Gerhartz University of St. Thomas Sr.
2015-16 Men's Soccer Johnny Mulvahill University of St. Thomas Sr.
2015-16 Men's Outdoor Track & Field Karl Olsen Bethel University So.
2015-16 Women's Tennis Katie Aney Gustavus Adolphus College So.
2015-16 Women's Cross Country Kimber Meyer Macalester College Jr.
2015-16 Volleyball Kristin Stern Bethel University So.
2015-16 Softball Kylie Macziewski St. Catherine University So.
2015-16 Baseball Logan Hershey Saint John's University Sr.
2015-16 Men's Basketball Michael Hannon University of St. Thomas So.
2015-16 Men's Swimming & Diving Nick Cox University of St. Thomas Jr.
2015-16 Women's Swimming & Diving Nicole Herrli University of St. Thomas So.
2015-16 Women's Basketball Paige Gernes University of St. Thomas Jr.
2015-16 Men's Indoor Track & Field Paul Escher St. Olaf College Sr.
2015-16 Women's Indoor Track & Field Reilly Simon Carleton College Sr.
2015-16 Women's Soccer Sophie Leininger Gustavus Adolphus College So.
2014-15 Women's Swimming & Diving Abbey Schnaith St. Olaf College Jr.
2014-15 Men's Golf Alex Kapraun University of St. Thomas Sr.
2014-15 Baseball Alex Toninato Saint John's University Sr.
2014-15 Women's Hockey Caroline Kivisto Bethel University Jr.
2014-15 Football Carter Hanson Saint John's University So.
2014-15 Men's Soccer Dylan Lehrer Saint John's University So.
2014-15 Women's Outdoor Track & Field Elizabeth Weiers Gustavus Adolphus College Sr.
2014-15 Women's Cross Country Erin Statz University of St. Thomas Sr.
2014-15 Men's Indoor Track & Field Gabe Wright Concordia College Jr.
2014-15 Women's Indoor Track & Field Gabrielle Pepin University of St. Thomas Jr.
2014-15 Men's Cross Country Jacob Gerhartz University of St. Thomas So.
2014-15 Men's Swimming & Diving Joe Duxbury Saint John's University Sr.
2014-15 Softball Kendra Bowe University of St. Thomas Sr.
2014-15 Women's Tennis Lizzy Stanczyk Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2014-15 Men's Outdoor Track & Field Mark Volker Hamline University Sr.
2014-15 Women's Soccer Marta Prosinski Concordia College Sr.
2014-15 Men's Hockey Mike Mezzano Saint Mary's University So.
2014-15 Women's Basketball Paige Gernes University of St. Thomas So.
2014-15 Men's Tennis Patton McClelland Carleton College So.
2014-15 Women's Golf Rachel Morris University of St. Thomas So.
2014-15 Men's Basketball Ross Groeneweg Bethel University Jr.
2014-15 Volleyball Whitney Lloyd University of St. Thomas So.
2013-14 Men's Golf Alex Kapraun University of St. Thomas Jr.
2013-14 Women's Tennis Annie Mahoney Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2013-14 Softball Caroline Kivisto Bethel University So.
2013-14 Women's Hockey Carolyn Draayer Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2013-14 Women's Basketball Courtney Pahl University of St. Thomas So.
2013-14 Women's Outdoor Track & Field Elizabeth Weiers Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2013-14 Women's Golf Erin Dingmann University of St. Thomas So.
2013-14 Men's Cross Country Grant Wintheiser St. Olaf College Jr.
2013-14 Men's Hockey Joe Morris University of St. Thomas So.
2013-14 Volleyball Kathryn Gaydos College of Saint Benedict Sr.
2013-14 Women's Cross Country Katie Stolz Saint Mary's University Jr.
2013-14 Football Keegan Bragg University of St. Thomas Sr.
2013-14 Women's Indoor Track & Field Lauren Rice Augsburg College Sr.
2013-14 Women's Swimming & Diving Libby Larson Gustavus Adolphus College Jr.
2013-14 Men's Indoor Track & Field Mark Volker Hamline University Jr.
2013-14 Men's Swimming & Diving Max Hamilton University of St. Thomas So.
2013-14 Men's Tennis Mike Schroeder St. Olaf College So.
2013-14 Baseball Nik Anderson Bethel University Jr.
2013-14 Men's Outdoor Track & Field Phillip Meyer St. Olaf College Jr.
2013-14 Women's Soccer Piper Murray College of Saint Benedict So.
2013-14 Men's Basketball Sam Daly St. Olaf College Sr.
2013-14 Men's Soccer Simon Ginet Carleton College Sr.

School Summary

Institution Winners
University of St. Thomas 54
Gustavus Adolphus College 42
Bethel University 40
Saint John's University 36
St. Olaf College 18
College of Saint Benedict 16
Carleton College 12
Macalester College 12
Augsburg University 11
St. Catherine University 9
Hamline University 6
Concordia College 5
Saint Mary's University 5
The College of St. Scholastica 1
MIAC ELITE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD ARCHIVES: 2025-26 | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | 2022-23 | 2021-22 | 2020-21 | 2019-20 | 2018-19 | 2017-18 | 2016-17 | 2015-16 | 2014-15 | 2013-14 |