Dakota State University Outstanding Female Athlete
Savannah Walsdorf (2024) - Basketball
Savannah Walsdorf of the Dakota State Trojan women's basketball team received the Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year honor. She used her COVID eligibility season to lead the DSU women's basketball team to another record-breaking season.
Walsdorf was named to the NAIA All-America First Team, the first time since 2021 when Jessi Giles was named to All-America First Team. She was also named to the NAIA Women's Basketball Honorable Mention 2023.
Walsdorf led Dakota State with 15.8 points per game during the 2023-24 season. She averaged 6.2 rebounds, 2.9 steals, and 2.2 assists per game. She was 212-of-404 from the field (52.4 percent), 70-of-169 from the 3-point line, and 58-of-81 from the free-throw line.
She produced the third most single season points scored in DSU women's basketball school record book with 552 points. She ranked third in the single season record with 100 steals and 212 field goals made, as well as sixth in 3-point field goals made with 70 3-pointers.
Walsdorf finished her illustrious career at Dakota State as the all-time leading scorer with 2,088 points, rebounds with 1,010 rebounds, 405 steals, and 782 field goals. She is second all-time in free-throws made with 324, fifth in 3-point field goals made with 199, and eighth all-time in assists with 320.
She is a four-time North Star Athletic Association All-Conference selection, three times as First Team All-Conference since 2022. She was a Second Team All-Conference selection in 2021 and was named to the NSAA All-Defense Team in 2024.
Walsdorf also earned academic awards from the NAIA and NSAA for her achievements in the classroom.
Dakota State finished their 2023-24 season with an overall record of 28-7, the second most overall victories in school history. The Trojans captured their fourth straight NSAA regular-season conference title.
DSU also qualified for the NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament for the fourth consecutive season. Dakota State made history by hosting the NAIA national tournament first and second rounds and advanced to the national quarterfinals for the third time in the last four seasons.
|
Name |
Sport(s) |
| 2024 |
Savannah Walsdorf |
Basketball |
| 2023 |
Elsie Aslesen |
Basketball |
| 2022 |
Jessi Giles |
Basketball and Track & Field |
| 2021 |
Jessi Giles |
Basketball and Track & Field |
| 2020 |
Barbara Briceno |
Volleyball |
| 2020 |
Traia Hubbard |
Track & Field |
| 2020 |
Nicole Stewart |
Softball |
| 2019 |
Barbara Briceno |
Volleyball |
| 2018 |
Carly Rozell |
Volleyball |
| 2017 |
Karen Mayfield |
Cross Country and Track & Field |
| 2017 |
BreeAna Olson |
Basketball and Track & Field |
| 2016 |
Carly Rozell |
Volleyball |
| 2015 |
Brittany Hill |
Softball |
| 2014 |
Kylie Westover |
Basketball |
| 2013 |
Kristen DiPaola |
Volleyball |
| 2012 |
Stephanie Kruggel |
Volleyball |
| 2011 |
Danielle Rowe |
Track and Field |
| 2010 |
Rachael Jensen |
Volleyball |
| 2009 |
Laura Lanoue |
Volleyball |
| 2008 |
Laura Tewes |
Basketball, Track |
| 2008 |
Jessica VanLoy |
Basketball, Softball |
| 2007 |
Sara Nelson |
Basketball |
| 2006 |
Ashley Brassfield |
Volleyball |
| 2005 |
Micah Tolzin |
Volleyball |
| 2004 |
Hali McClelland |
Women's Basketball |
| 2003 |
Kristie VandenHoek |
Track |
| 2002 |
Laura Carrow |
Cross Country, Track |
| 2001 |
Desa Rae Doyle |
Track |
| 2001 |
Kathy Shypulski |
Basketball |
| 2000 |
Desa Rae Doyle |
Track |
| 2000 |
Sheila Haack |
Basketball |
| 1999 |
Katherine Fisk |
Cross Country, Track |
| 1998 |
Marie Parker-Sample |
Cross Country, Track |
| 1997 |
Marie Parker |
Cross Country, Track |
| 1997 |
Amy Hansen |
Cross Country, Track |
| 1996 |
Amy Hansen |
Cross Country, Basketball, Track |
| 1995 |
Rachelle Lengkeck |
Volleyball, Track |
| 1994 |
No Award |
|
| 1993 |
Stefanie Johnson |
Cross Country, Track |
| 1992 |
Tamera Juffer |
Volleyball, Basketball |
| 1991 |
Amy Crissinger |
Basketball, Volleyball, Track |
| 1990 |
Brenda Ferguson |
Cross Country, Track |
| 1989 |
Amy Crissinger |
Basketball, Volleyball, Track |
| 1988 |
Trish Murphy |
Basketball, Track |
| 1987 |
Julie Heinz |
Basketball |
| 1986 |
Julie Fiegen |
Basketball |
| 1985 |
Monica Matthies |
Basketball, Softball |
| 1984 |
Monica Matthies |
Basketball, Softball |
| 1983 |
Colleen Moran |
Basketball, Track |
| 1982 |
Teresa Underberg |
Basketball, Softball |
| 1982 |
Janis Wipf |
Basketball, Softball |
| 1981 |
Sherri Heckenliable |
Basketball, Volleyball, Softball |
| 1980 |
Deb Boomsma |
Basketball, Softball |
| 1979 |
Lori Coble |
Basketball, Volleyball, Softball |
| 1978 |
|
|
| 1977 |
|
|
| 1976 |
|
|
| 1975 |
|
|
| 1974 |
Donna Kruggel |
Volleyball, Basketball, Softball |
