February 1, 2024

MADISON, S.D. – The North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) announced its 2023 fall sports scholar-athletes Wednesday.  Dakota State (S.D.) landed the most total scholar-athletes with 81 student-athletes named on the conference academic list, which is also a fall sports conference scholar athlete record since the conference inception in 2013-14.

A total of 289 student-athletes received this prestigious academic achievement in the North Star Athletic Association institutions.  To be eligible for the NSAA Scholar-Athlete, a student-athlete must achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 on a 4.0 and participate in a junior varsity or varsity contest.  In addition to the criteria, each athlete must be certified on an eligibility certificate, excluding freshman redshirts. 

The Trojan football team landed a team record 46 student-athletes on the conference academic list.  The DSU cross-country teams registered a combined 21 student-athletes, where a team record of 16 men's cross-country scholar-athletes were recorded (5 women's cross-country scholar-athletes).  Dakota State's volleyball squad registered 14 student-athletes on the NSAA academic list.

Below is the list of 2023 North Star Athletic Association Fall Sports Scholar-Athlete from Dakota State:
 

Women's Cross Country
Name	Hometown	Year in School	Major
Brooke Beaucaire	Beaumont, Calif.	Sophomore	Cyber Leadership & Intelligence
Valerija Curikova	Riga, Latvia	Freshman	Computer Science
Kierra Miller	Hemingford, Neb.	Sophomore	Integrative Biology
Saddie Palmquist	Howard, S.D.	Senior	Cyber Operations
Lindsey Roth	Parkston, S.D.	Junior	Elementary Education

 

Men's Cross Country
Name	Hometown	Year in School	Major
Kaiden Akey	Mankato, Minn.	Freshman	Cyber Operations
Dalton Brouwer	Sioux Falls, S.D.	Senior	Cyber Operations
Cody Farland	New Underwood, S.D.	Junior	Cyber Operations
Lucas Harr	Sioux Falls, S.D.	Junior	Cyber Operations
Lane Henrichs	Doon, Iowa	Sophomore	Cyber Operations
Curtis Johnson	Indianola, Iowa	Senior	Cyber Operations
Joshua Krull	Sioux Falls, S.D.	Graduate Student	Cyber Defense
Grayson Madsen	Rosholt, S.D.	Sophomore	Exercise Science
Taylor Myers	Estherville, Iowa	Graduate Student	Cyber Defense
Tyler Nicke	Hartington, Neb.	Sophomore	Cyber Operations
Roger Oliete Tejedor	Barcelona, Spain	Junior	Integrative Biology
Zachary Possin	Mankato, Minn.	Freshman	Cyber Operations
Blake Schmiedt	Dakota Dunes, S.D.	Sophomore	Cyber Operations
Evan Slominski	Blair, Neb.	Graduate Student	Cyber Defense
Jonah Thiele	Olathe, Kan.	Sophomore	Computer Science
Joshua Tucker	Letcher, S.D.	Freshman	Computer Science

 

Women's Volleyball
Name	Hometown	Year in School	Major
Julia Bullerman	Adrian, Minn.	Sophomore	Elementary Education
Julia Drietz	Lake Benton, Minn.	Junior	Accounting
Brooklyn Grage	Brandon, S.D.	Junior	Computer Information Systems
Madalyn Groft	Mellette, S.D.	Senior	Math Education
Angela Guthmiller	Onida, S.D.	Senior	Digital Sound Design
Kierra Miller	Hemingford, Neb.	Freshman	Biology
Casey Olson	Fergus Falls, Minn.	Junior	Accounting
Sydney Schell	Aberdeen, S.D.	Junior	Individualized Studies
Hannah Thorsen	Winthrop, Minn.	Junior	Graphic Design
Kate VanRooyan	Dakota Dunes, S.D.	Freshman	Exercise Science
Reagan VanRooyan	Dakota Dunes, S.D.	Freshman	Exercise Science
Shelby Vander Vorst	Pollock, S.D.	Sophomore	Exercise Science
Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri	Murfreesboro, Tenn.	Sophomore	Cyber Operations & Network Security
Hailey Wathen	Rapid City, S.D.	Junior	Physical Education

 
 

Football
Name	Hometown	Year in School	Major
Gage Arnold	Mammoth Lakes, Calif.	Junior	Education
Jeremiah 'JJ' Beck	Gregory, S.D.	Senior	Business
Ronald Begalka	Clear Lake, S.D.	Freshman	Business
Matthew Birkeland	Murdo, S.D.	Freshman	Business
Collin Brueggeman	Pierre, S.D.	Junior	Cyber Operations
Brady Dannenbring	Sioux Falls, S.D.	Senior	Business
Brandon Dannenbring	Sioux Fals, S.D.	Junior	Business
Ethan Eli	Lennox, S.D.	Freshman	Cyber Operations
Darrick Even	Menoken, N.D.	Freshman	Business
Hudson Fix	Rochester, Minn.	Freshman	Business
Michael Foster	Orlando, Fla.	Sophomore	Business
Tamareon Foster	Orlando, Fla.	Sophomore	Business
Dylan Fuoss	Draper, S.D.	Freshman	Business
Kasey Gerhard	Worthington, Minn.	Freshman	Computer Science
Jasper Gibson	Perth, Australia	Junior	Business
Tysen Grinde	Spring Grove, Minn.	Freshman	Computer Science
Gannon Gruenhagen	De Smet, S.D.	Freshman	Computer Science
Chris Guipi-Bopala	Wayne, Mich.	Junior	Business
Sterling Harris	Mesa, Ariz.	Freshman	Business
Marcis Hausman	Estelline, S.D.	Senior	Education
Owen Heath	Hartford, S.D.	Freshman	Business
Tray Hettick	Selby, S.D.	Freshman	Business
Gavin Holland	Badger, S.D.	Senior	Exercise Science
Justin Holm	Earlham, Iowa	Freshman	Education
Preston Iverson	Hot Springs, S.D.	Freshman	Cyber Operations
Aidan Jahns	Rochester, Minn.	Freshman	Exercise Science
Brooks Jansen	Emery, S.D.	Junior	Computer Science
Adin Jungers	Hazen, N.D.	Sophomore	Business
Maddox Kihne	Sioux Falls, S.D.	Freshman	Exercise Science
Braxton Lacher	Watertown, S.D.	Junior	Biology
Austin Lake	Tea, S.D.	Junior	Business
Dylan Langerock	Brandon, S.D.	Freshman	Business
Mason Lloyd	Watertown, S.D.	Senior	Computer Science
Tyce Ortman	Canistota, S.D.	Junior	General Studies
Cole Paulson	Pipestone, Minn.	Sophomore	Business Education
Griffin Reiner	Long Lake, Minn.	Freshman	Business
Gus Sanford	Aitkin, Minn.	Sophomore	Elementary Education
Luke Schacher	Rapid City, S.D.	Freshman	Business
Taron Serr	Burke, S.D.	Sophomore	Business
Xander Sheehan	Hayti, S.D.	Sophomore	Education
AJ Siemsen	Mitchell, S.D.	Freshman	Education
Cole Sylliaasen	Brandon, S.D.	Senior	Elementary Education
Joseph Taylor	Sacramento, Calif.	Junior	Computer Information Systems
Jalen Trudeau	Waukee, Iowa	Freshman	Exercise Science
Jordan Upton	Columbus, Ohio	Freshman	Exercise Science
Niyongabo Yohana	Sioux Falls, S.D.	Freshman	Computer Information Systems