Dakota State University

Robert 'Dusty' Andersen Memorial Award

The Robert "Dusty" Andersen Memorial Award is presented in memory of Dusty to the outstanding athlete in baseball or basketball.

The Dusty Andersen Memorial Award is presented each year to an outstanding male basketball or baseball player who exhibits active participation in campus activities. The award is named for Dusty Andersen, who was a letter-winner in both basketball and baseball at Dakota State from 1966 through 1969.  In addition to his athletic involvement, Dusty was active as President of the Varsity Club and was a member of the Student Senate, the band, and the Physical Education Majors Club.  Dusty died in an automobile accident on Homecoming in 1969.

Brayden Pankonen (2026) - Men's Basketball

The 2026 Dusty Andersen Memorial Award recipient is Brayden Pankonen of the Dakota State men's basketball team. He becomes the first Trojan men's basketball player to receive honor in 2020.

In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Andersen was actively involved on campus, serving as President of the Varsity Club and participating in Student Senate, the band, and the physical education majors club.

Outside of his impact on the basketball court, Pankonen has been recognized twice as a conference Champions of Character recipient, earning the honor in the North Star Athletic Association during the 2024-25 season and again in the inaugural Frontier Conference season in 2025-26. He is also an active member of the men's basketball "Hoops Family" and its community support initiatives and is the recipient of the Home Court Endowed Scholarship.

Academically, Pankonen has been named to the Dakota State Dean's List five times over the past six semesters. He is a two-time College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District® selection, a Frontier Conference Academic All-Conference honoree, a two-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete, and was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honor Court during the 2024-25 season. He was also a member of the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award-winning squad in 2024-25.

On the court, Pankonen was named the North Star Athletic Association Freshman of the Year in 2023-24 and earned All-Conference Honorable Mention honors in 2024-25. During his career at Dakota State, he started every game except one.

Pankonen played 87 career games for the Trojans since the 2023-24 season, averaging 9.8 points per game while scoring 856 career points. He made 187 three-pointers, ranking third all-time in the Dakota State men's basketball record book. He also ranks seventh in program history in three-point field goal percentage at 39.3 percent (187-of-476).

Defensively, Pankonen recorded 125 career steals, placing him fifth on Dakota State's all-time steals list. He is also tied for eighth in school history for steals in a single game with six against Trinity Bible (N.D.) on Nov. 4.

Brayden, a native of Dell Rapids, S.D., is a junior business finance major at Dakota State University.