February 6, 2025

MADISON, S.D. – The North Star Athletic Association officially announced the 2024 fall sports scholar-athletes list Thursday.  A total of 365 student-athletes received the prestigious conference academic honors, with 79 student-athletes coming from Dakota State (S.D.).

The 365 recipients were recognized for their outstanding accomplishment in the classroom and on the playing field/court.  The North Star's fall sports included women's cross country men's cross country, women's volleyball, and football.

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 grade 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.

Both DSU women's and men's cross country established a single season record on the NSAA Scholar Athletes list.  The Trojan women's squad landed eight scholar-athletes on the conference academic list, while the men's team collected 19 scholar-athletes on the list. 

Dakota State's football team recorded 35 scholar-athletes.  The Trojan volleyball team listed 17 scholar-athletes to the academic list.

Below is the list of 2024 North Star Athletic Association Fall Sports Scholar-Athletes from Dakota State:
 

Women's Cross Country
Name	Hometown	Year in School	Major
Brooke Beaucaire	Beaumont, Calif.	Senior	Cyber Leadership & Intelligence
Valerija Curikova	Riga, Latvia	Sophomore	Cyber Operations
Kierra Miller	Hemingford, Neb.	Junior	Biology
Saddie Palmquist	Howard, S.D.	Graduate Student	Cyber Defense
Lindsey Roth	Parkston, S.D.	Senior	Elementary Education
Anna Schneider	Sioux Falls, S.D.	Junior	Professional Accountancy
Presli White	Sioux Falls, S.D.	Junior	Exercise Science
Sheridyn Winter	Sioux Falls, S.D.	Sophomore	Business

 
 

Men's Cross Country
Name	Hometown	Year in School	Major
Kaiden Akey	Mankato, Minn.	Sophomore	Cyber Operations
Evan Armstrong	Aurora, Colo.	Junior	Cyber Operations
Cody Farland	New Underwood, S.D.	Senior	Cyber Operations
Lucas Harr	Sioux Falls, S.D.	Senior	Cyber Operations
Lane Henrichs	Doon, Iowa	Junior	Cyber Operations
Holden Jelen	Tea, S.D.	Sophomore	Cyber Operations
Franklin Johns	Gordon, Neb.	Sophomore	Physical Education
Curtis Johnson	Indianola, Iowa	Senior	Cyber Operations
Yohannes Kassa	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia	Senior	Computer Science
Grayson Madsen	Rosholt, S.D.	Junior	Exercise Science
Mohamed Muse	Sioux Falls, S.D.	Freshman	Cyber Operations
Taylor Myers	Estherville, Iowa	Doctoral Student	Cyber Defense
Tyler Nicke	Hartington, Neb.	Junior	Cyber Operations
Roger Oliete Tejedor	Barcelona, Spain	Senior	Biology
Logan Recoy	Arnold, Neb.	Sophomore	Computer Science
Caleb Sayler	Lennox, S.D.	Senior	Exercise Science
Blake Schmiedt	Dakota Dunes, S.D.	Senior	Cyber Operations
Benjamin Strunk	Hartford, S.D.	Sophomore	Computer Science
Jonah Thiele	Olathe, Kan.	Junior	Computer Science

 

Women's Volleyball
Name	Hometown	Year in School	Major
Gabi Borresen	Tyler, Minn.	Freshman	Elementary Education
Halle Bruflat	Sioux Falls, S.D.	Freshman	Elementary Education
Logan Conlin	Evans, Colo.	Junior	Exercise Science
Brooklyn Grage	Brandon, S.D.	Senior	Computer Information Systems
Madalyn Groft	Mellette, S.D.	Graduate Student	Educational Technology
Maddi Langerock	Balaton, Minn.	Junior	Business Marketing
Tristyn Maras	Windom, Minn.	Freshman	Integrative Biology/Exercise Science
Sydney Schell	Aberdeen, S.D.	Senior	Individualized Studies
Ally Sea	Walker, Minn.	Junior	Integrative Biology
Sophie Tuttle	North Sioux City, S.D.	Freshman	Integrative Biology
Kate VanRooyan	Dakota Dunes, S.D.	Sophomore	Exercise Science
Reagan VanRooyan	Dakota Dunes, S.D.	Sophomore	Exercise Science
Shelby Vander Vorst	Pollock, S.D.	Junior	Integrative Biology
Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri	Murfreesboro, Tenn.	Senior	Cyber Operations & Network Security
Ashley Wangler	Aberdeen, S.D.	Freshman	Elementary Education
Hailey Wathen	Rapid City, S.D.	Senior	Physical Education
Myra Whitehead	Lennox, S.D.	Junior	Cyber Leadership

 
 
 

Football
Name	Hometown	Year in School	Major
Robert Begalka	Clear Lake, S.D.	Freshman	Physical Education
Ronald Begalka	Clear Lake, S.D.	Sophomore	Education
Matthew Birkeland	Murdo, S.D.	Sophomore	Business Finance
Bonnard Bosler	Sioux Falls, S.D.	Freshman	Business Management
Collin Brueggeman	Pierre, S.D.	Senior	Cyber Operations
Elliott Devries	Cavour, S.D.	Sophomore	Exercise Science
Kaden Eng	Castlewood, S.D.	Junior	Physical Education
Trent Foss	Wanamingo, Minn.	Freshman	Finance
Tamareon Foster	Orlando, Fla.	Junior	Business
Tysen Grinde	Spring Grove, Minn.	Sophomore	Computer Science
Chris Guipi-Bopala	Wayne, Mich.	Senior	Accounting/Finance
Timothy Halbur	Tea, S.D.	Freshman	General Studies
Owen Heath	Hartford, S.D.	Sophomore	Business Management
Jack Hemmen	Elkton, S.D.	Junior	Business
Tray Hettick	Selby, S.D.	Sophomore	Business Finance
Justin Holm	Earlham, Iowa	Sophomore	Elementary Education
Jacob Imdieke	St. Cloud, Minn.	Freshman	Exercise Science
Preston Iverson	Hot Springs, S.D.	Sophomore	Computer Science
Aidan Jahns	Rochester, Minn.	Sophomore	Business
Brooks Jansen	Emery, S.D.	Junior	Computer Science
Maddox Kihne	Sioux Falls, S.D.	Freshman	Exercise Science
Brandon Kjetland	Emery, S.D.	Freshman	Business Administration
Braxton Lacher	Watertown, S.D.	Senior	Biology
Austin Lake	Tea, S.D.	Senior	Business Management
Dylan Langerock	Brandon, S.D.	Sophomore	Business
Caden Langenfeld	Spearfish, S.D.	Freshman	Business Management
Cole Paulson	Pipestone, Minn.	Junior	Business Education
Gus Sanford	Aitkin, Minn.	Junior	Elementary Education
Taron Serr	Burke, S.D.	Junior	Business Management
Xander Sheehan	Hayti, S.D.	Junior	Physical Education
Joseph Taylor	Sacramento, Calif.	Senior	Cyber Operations
Brock Tuttle	Alexandria, S.D.	Freshman	Biology
Jordan Upton	Columbus, Ohio	Sophomore	Exercise Science
Kaden Van Otterloo	Sioux Falls, S.D.	Freshman	Business Management
Jovi Wolf	Wentworth, S.D.	Freshman	General Studies