July 1, 2024
MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) landed the most North Star Athletic Association winter/spring sports student-athletes, announced by the conference office Monday. A total of 135 winter and spring sports student-athletes combined were listed on the conference's academic award list. It was the fourth consecutive season that DSU collected the most recipients on the North Star's academic list.
A total of 573 recipients, competing in winter and spring sports (women's and men's basketball, men's and women's golf, women's and men's track & field, softball, and baseball), were recognized for their outstanding academic accomplishment in the classroom and on the playing court/field/course.
To be eligible for the NSAA Academic Scholar-Athlete, a student-athlete must achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale 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 men's track & field squad collected 37 athletes to the NSAA Scholar-Athlete list, while the baseball team tallied 33 recipients, followed by women's basketball team with 20 recipients. DSU men's track & field, baseball, and women's basketball squads recorded the most scholar-athletes by sport in the North Star Athletic Association.
Dakota State women's track & field tied for the most scholar-athletes in the league with Viterbo (Wis.), each with 20 recipients on the list. The Trojan men's basketball team had 13 recipients, while the softball team received 12 scholar-athletes to the conference list.
DSU men's track & field, baseball, women's basketball, women's track & field, and men's basketball programs established a new single-season record of conference scholar-athletes. The Trojan softball program tied for the single season record with 12 recipients.
Below is the complete list of 2023-24 North Star Athletic Association Winter/Spring Scholar Athletes:
| Women's Basketball |
| Name |
Hometown |
Year in School |
Major |
| Kristine Biniek |
Bowlus, Minn. |
Sophomore |
Exercise Science |
| Angelina Chapple |
Bloomington, Minn. |
Freshman |
Finance |
| Payton Delange |
Corsica, S.D. |
Freshman |
Elementary Education |
| Caitlin Dyer |
Morphettville, South Australia |
Sophomore |
Physical Education |
| Brooke Gunderson |
Buffalo, Minn. |
Sophomore |
English Education |
| Morgan Huber |
Alexandria, S.D. |
Senior |
Physical Education |
| Alyssa Koffler |
Buffalo Gap, S.D. |
Freshman |
Accounting |
| Taryn Larson |
Canton, S.D. |
Freshman |
Biology |
| Lilli Mackley |
Stillwater, Minn. |
Junior |
Biology |
| Kari Matejka |
Sherburn, Minn. |
Freshman |
Exercise Science |
| Kirstie Munsen |
White Lake, S.D. |
Freshman |
Exercise Science |
| Anna Pauly |
Blooming Prairie, Minn. |
Freshman |
Business Management |
| Olivia Ritter |
Tea, S.D. |
Junior |
Biology |
| Angela Slattery |
Franksville, Wis. |
Junior |
Computer Science |
| Tabor Teel |
Colton, S.D. |
Sophomore |
Business |
| Molli Thornton |
Hartford, S.D. |
Freshman |
Biology |
| Miakken Vincent |
Volga, S.D. |
Senior |
Math Education |
| Savannah Walsdorf |
Kiel, Wis. |
Senior |
Computer Science |
| Bria Wasmund |
Sibley, Iowa |
Freshman |
Exercise Science |
| Cierra Watkins |
Sioux Falls, S.D. |
Freshman |
Elementary Education |
| Men's Basketball |
| Name |
Hometown |
Year in School |
Major |
| Tanner Campos |
East Grand Forks, Minn. |
Sophomore |
Physical Education |
| Colby Dillenbeck |
Dallas, Texas |
Redshirt Junior |
Business |
| Taylor Edwards |
Hill City, S.D. |
Graduate Student |
Masters in Educational Technology |
| Noah Haynes |
Crooks, S.D. |
Freshman |
Computer Science |
| Taine Mitchell |
Adelaide, Australia |
Redshirt Junior |
Physical Education |
| Wyatt Olson |
White River, S.D. |
Junior |
Biology |
| Brayden Pankonen |
Dell Rapids, S.D. |
Freshman |
General Studies |
| Bryant Paulsen |
Marshall, Minn. |
Sophomore |
Exercise Science |
| Calvin Payne |
Melbourne, Australia |
Junior |
Cyber Operations |
| Ethan Slaathaug |
Hayfield, Minn. |
Junior |
Finance |
| Isaac Sumption |
Frederick, S.D. |
Junior |
Finance |
| Scott Wagner |
Monango, N.D. |
Sophomore |
Elementary Education |
| Ben Witt |
Burke, S.D. |
Sophomore |
Exercise Science |
| Women's Track & Field |
| Name |
Hometown |
Year in School |
Major |
| Bridget Bartling |
Burke, S.D. |
Freshman |
Exercise Science |
| Brooke Beaucaire |
Beaumont, Calif. |
Junior |
Cyber Leadership & Intelligence |
| Hope Bryant |
Rapid City, S.D. |
Freshman |
Exercise Science |
| Valerija Curikova |
Riga, Latvia |
Freshman |
Computer Science |
| Rebecca Hazlett |
Columbus, Neb. |
Senior |
Physical Education |
| Alyssa Koffler |
Buffalo Gap, S.D. |
Sophomore |
Business Administration |
| Lahna Matucha |
Burke, S.D. |
Senior |
Health Information Administration |
| Bella Maxwell |
Madison, S.D. |
Junior |
Cyber Operations |
| Kierra Miller |
Hemingford, Neb. |
Sophomore |
Biology |
| Casey Olson |
Fergus Falls, Minn. |
Senior |
Professional Accountancy |
| Saddie Palmquist |
Howard, S.D. |
Graduate Student |
Cyber Defense |
| Gabriella Peitzmeier |
Omaha, Neb. |
Senior |
Elementary Education |
| Carson Quigley |
Tea, S.D. |
Senior |
Elementary Education |
| Lindsey Roth |
Parkston, S.D. |
Junior |
Elementary Education |
| Afton Schlumbohm |
Rock Rapids, Iowa |
Freshman |
Biology |
| Anna Schneider |
Sioux Falls, S.D. |
Sophomore |
Professional Accountancy |
| Amelie Steins |
Dusseldorf, Germany |
Freshman |
Biology |
| Molli Thornton |
Hartford, S.D. |
Sophomore |
Biology |
| Oliviyah Thornton |
Garretson, S.D. |
Junior |
Digital Arts and Design |
| Raylee Wallis |
Roseville, Minn. |
Junior |
Cyber Operations |
| Men's Track & Field |
| Name |
Hometown |
Year in School |
Major |
| Kaiden Akey |
Mankato, Minn. |
Sophomore |
Cyber Operations |
| Mikal Bennett |
Sioux Falls, S.D. |
Junior |
Cyber Operations |
| Luke Borowicz |
Jordan, Minn. |
Sophomore |
Cyber Operations |
| Dalton Brouwer |
Sioux Falls, S.D. |
Senior |
Cyber Operations |
| Cody Farland |
New Underwood, S.D. |
Senior |
Cyber Operations |
| Hudson Fix |
Rochester, Minn. |
Freshman |
Business Management |
| Michael Foster |
Orlando, Fla. |
Sophomore |
Business Administration |
| Caden Gortmaker |
St. Lawrence, S.D. |
Sophomore |
Cyber Operations |
| Tysen Grinde |
Spring Grove, Minn. |
Sophomore |
Computer Science |
| Lucas Harr |
Sioux Falls, S.D. |
Senior |
Cyber Operations |
| Zachary Haugen |
Bath, S.D. |
Senior |
Physical Education |
| Lane Henrichs |
Doon, Iowa |
Sophomore |
Cyber Operations |
| Dylan Hilger |
Hartford, S.D. |
Senior |
Computer Science |
| Nathan Ingalls |
Watertown, S.D. |
Senior |
Physical Education |
| Jacob Joachim |
Corsica, S.D. |
Senior |
Business Administration |
| Dylan Johansen |
Bridgewater, S.D. |
Sophomore |
Physical Education |
| Curtis Johnson |
Indianola, Iowa |
Senior |
Cyber Operations |
| Joshua Krull |
Sioux Falls, S.D. |
Graduate Student |
Cyber Defense |
| Joseph Larson |
Sioux Falls, S.D. |
Senior |
Network Security |
| Houston Lunde |
Pierre, S.D. |
Senior |
Elementary Education |
| Corbin Mackaben |
Newell, S.D. |
Sophomore |
Cyber Operations |
| Grayson Madsen |
Rosholt, S.D. |
Sophomore |
Exercise Science |
| Dawson Miller |
Mitchell, S.D. |
Sophomore |
Cyber Operations |
| Trenton Moran |
Kennebec, S.D. |
Sophomore |
Exercise Science |
| Taylor Myers |
Estherville, Iowa |
Graduate Student |
Cyber Defense |
| Tyler Nicke |
Hartington, Neb. |
Sophomore |
Cyber Operations |
| Bryant Paulsen |
Marshall, Minn. |
Senior |
Exercise Science |
| Caleb Roberts |
Watertown, S.D. |
Senior |
Computer Science |
| Blake Schmiedt |
Dakota Dunes, S.D. |
Junior |
Cyber Operations |
| Xander Sheehan |
Hayti, S.D. |
Junior |
Physical Education |
| Evan Slominski |
Blair, Neb. |
Graduate Student |
Cyber Defense |
| Nolan Slominski |
Blair, Neb. |
Sophomore |
Cyber Operations |
| Jonah Thiele |
Olathe, Kan. |
Sophomore |
Computer Science |
| Jordan Upton |
Columbus, Ohio |
Freshman |
Exercise Science |
| Ben Witt |
Burke, S.D. |
Sophomore |
Exercise Science |
| Niyongabo Yohana |
Sioux Falls, S.D. |
Freshman |
Computer Information Systems |
| Jackson Zastera |
Syracuse, Neb. |
Graduate Student |
Computer Science |
| Softball |
| Name |
Hometown |
Year in School |
Major |
| Maycee Bricker |
Broomfield, Colo. |
Sophomore |
Biology |
| Michelle Evdos |
Parker, Colo. |
Junior |
Cyber Operations |
| Hannah Feser |
Cut Knife, Sask., Canada |
Junior |
Biology |
| Alexus Foster |
Hartford, S.D. |
Senior |
Elementary Education/
Special Education |
| Delaney Granger |
Manitowoc, Wis. |
Freshman |
Undecided |
| Jordyn Jeffries |
Overton, Neb. |
Freshman |
Elementary Education |
| Hannah McFarland |
Lawtey, Fla. |
Sophomore |
Exercise Science |
| Ally Morrissey |
Sacramento, Calif. |
Freshman |
Business/Accounting |
| Gabrielle Ortega-Alves |
San Diego, Calif. |
Freshman |
Exercise Science |
| Olivia Peterson |
Tracy, Minn. |
Senior |
Elementary Education/
Special Education |
| Rosie Philop |
Fort Collins, Colo. |
Senior |
Elementary Education |
| Mackenzie Sims |
Santee, Calif. |
Senior |
Elementary Education/
Special Education |
| Baseball |
| Name |
Hometown |
Year in School |
Major |
| Cory Brownson |
Billings, Mont. |
Junior |
Exercise Science |
| Tyler Brownson |
Billings, Mont. |
Sophomore |
Exercise Science |
| Owen Cass |
Sturgis, S.D. |
Freshman |
Computer Science |
| Ned Ceklic |
Okotoks, Alberta, Canada |
Freshman |
Business |
| Connor Cook |
Boise, Idaho |
Senior |
Cyber Operations |
| Cole Drumheller |
Papillion, Neb. |
Sophomore |
Computer Science |
| Curtis Flint |
Omaha, Neb. |
Sophomore |
Business Finance |
| Johan Freudenburg |
Kalispell, Mont. |
Senior |
Computer Science |
| Hudson Fuller |
Clark, S.D. |
Junior |
Computer Science |
| Donovan Gilderhus |
Graham, Wash. |
Junior |
Exercise Science |
| Dylan Gillespie |
Whitewood, S.D. |
Junior |
Physical Education |
| Camaron Haller |
Kingman, Ariz. |
Sophomore |
Math for Information Systems |
| Trey Heckenlaible |
Sioux Falls, S.D. |
Junior |
Computer Science |
| Caleb Hoppe |
Belgrade, Mont. |
Freshman |
Business Technology |
| Loren Jacobson |
Hartford, S.D. |
Junior |
Business Management |
| Kellan Johns |
Everett, Wash. |
Freshman |
Physical Education |
| Samuel Kampshoff |
Yankton, S.D. |
Sophomore |
Computer Science |
| Treyten Kolar |
Ida Grove, Iowa |
Freshman |
Computer Science |
| Roch Laferriere |
Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
Senior |
Computer Science |
| Daniel Lesher |
Sioux Falls, S.D. |
Sophomore |
Computer Graphics |
| Ben Loos |
Harrisburg, S.D. |
Sophomore |
General Studies |
| Aidan Marsh |
Orting, Wash. |
Junior |
Graphic Design |
| Gage Nagy |
Monroe, Wash. |
Senior |
Math Information Systems |
| Dawson Portner |
Tea, S.D. |
Junior |
Business Management |
| Dylan Sherard |
Hartford, S.D. |
Freshman |
Integrated Biology |
| Ayden Spicer |
Sioux Falls, S.D. |
Sophomore |
Exercise Science |
| Alex Swack |
Coralville, Iowa |
Junior |
Business Technology |
| Bubba Thompson |
Hortonville, Wis. |
Graduate Student |
Masters in Sports Leadership |
| Sam Tyrpa |
Excelsior, Minn. |
Junior |
Cyber Operations |
| Fernando Valentin |
Fresno, Calif. |
Freshman |
Exercise Science |
| Cade Wenninger |
Luverne, Minn. |
Junior |
Cyber Operations |
| Helmi Yatim |
Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta, Indonesia |
Senior |
Computer Science |
| Keaton Young |
Laveen, Ariz. |
Freshman |
Cyber Operations |
