Record Academic All-MIAC Numbers
MOORHEAD, Minn. (1/26/18)---Concordia had a record-setting 42 student-athletes who participated in the fall athletic season earn MIAC Academic All-Conference honors.
The Cobbers’ total number of Academic All-Conference award winners betters the previous high in a fall season of 40 set back in 2013. The 42 also represent an increase of eight student/athletes from last fall.
Like the rest of Concordia, the Cobber football team saw their number of Academic All-Conference award winners grow in 2017. The football team led the way for Concordia with 19 players who earned the academic distinction. That number is up seven from a year ago.
The Cobber women’s soccer, cross country and volleyball teams followed on the list of numbers of Academic All-Conference award winners. The women’s soccer team placed six on the Academic All-Conference list while cross country and volleyball had five each.
Concordia had three student-athletes earn the award for the third consecutive year. Student-athletes can only win the honor three years because freshmen are not eligible. The three-time Academic All-Conference honorees include Conor Gessell from football, men’s soccer four-year starter Austin Promersberger, and Kayla Dostal of the women’s soccer team.
The fall was also a record-setting season for the MIAC as well. The league saw a remarkable 411 student-athletes named Academic All-Conference in the fall of 2017.
A total of 411 student-athletes from the 13 MIAC institutions earned the prestigious honor this year after meeting all sport-specific athletic requirements and possessing a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale following the fall semester. To be eligible for the award, student-athletes must be a sophomore, junior or senior with at least one year (two semesters) at their current institution. Athletically, student-athletes in fall team sports (football, volleyball, soccer) must compete in 50 percent of their team's regular-season varsity contests. Cross country student-athletes are required to finish in the overall top 100 or their team's top seven at the 2017 MIAC Cross Country Championship. Between the on-field component and lofty GPA standard, the MIAC Academic All-Conference honor is a perfect blend of the balanced excellence championed by the MIAC and NCAA Division III.
This is now the sixth year in a row the total of Fall Academic All-Conference honorees has increased. In 2011, 301 student-athletes were recognized with Academic All-Conference distinction. That number rose to 330 in 2012, 334 in 2013, 356 in 2014, 357 in 2015 and 380 last year.
Each individual fall sport also saw its total number of Academic All-Conference student-athletes increase in 2017. Women's soccer had the most honorees with 95 (87 in 2016), and football was a close second with 89 student-athletes honored (83 in 2016). Men's soccer had 68 honorees (62 in 2016), women's cross country had 62 (59 in 2016), volleyball had 57 (54 in 2016) and men's cross country had 40 (35 in 2016).
Athletically, student-athletes in team sports must compete in 50 percent of their team's regular-season varsity contests. The team sports eligible were football, volleyball, men's soccer and women's soccer. Cross country student-athletes were required to finish in the overall top 100 or their team's top seven at the 2016 MIAC Cross Country Championship.
MIAC Academic All-Conference teams are announced twice annually, after the completion of both the fall and spring academic semesters. The MIAC Winter/Spring 2017-18 Academic All-Conference selections will be announced in late June. The MIAC has an online archive of Academic All-Conference honors.
Cobber MIAC Academic All-Conference Athletes – Fall 2017
Men’s Cross Country
Erik Larson (Sr., Moorhead, Minn.)
Eric Wicklund (So., Blaine, Minn.)
Women’s Cross Country
Kara Andersen (So., Plymouth, Minn.)
Brianna Gruenberg (Jr., Moorhead, Minn.)
Erica Hauf (Sr., Moorhead, Minn.)
Maria West (Sr., Baxter, Minn.)
Sara Whiteman (Jr., Brainerd, Minn.)
Football
Aaron Ahrndt (Jr., Benson, Minn.)
Treyton Austvold (Jr., Spicer, Minn.)
William Berning (So., St. Michael, Minn.)
Brett Brenden (Jr., Rothsay, Minn.)
Jesse Bucholz (Jr., Perham, Minn.)
Peter Bueide (Jr., Fargo, N.D.)
Matthew Bye (So., Moorhead, Minn.)
Conor Gessell (Sr., Baxter, Minn.)
Maison Grefe (So., Cold Spring, Minn.)
Gunnar Kollman (Jr., Fargo, N.D.)
Blake Kragnes (So., Dilworth, Minn.)
Kyle Martin (So., Lakeville, Minn.)
Kevin Marzolf (Jr., Mankato, Minn.)
Thomas Pavek (So., Waubun, Minn.)
Dylan Raftevold (Sr., Fargo, N.D.)
Dane Ringquist (Sr., Fergus Falls, Minn.)
Jordan Spaeth (Jr., Waubun, Minn.)
Noah Taylor (Jr., Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Nicholas Wilson (So., Parker, Colo.)
Men’s Soccer
Wyatt Holwagner (Jr., Baldwin, N.D.)
Richard Lancaster (Jr., Fargo, N.D.)
Austin Peterson (Jr., Fargo, N.D.)
Austin Promersberger (Sr., Fargo, N.D.)
Women’s Soccer
Kalli Baarstad (So., Fargo, N.D.)
Kirsten Bokinskie (Jr., Fargo, N.D.)
Kayla Dostal (Sr., Fargo, N.D.)
Erin Eidsness (Jr., Moorhead, Minn.)
Katie Gillette (Jr., Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Karsen Granning (So., Alexandria, Minn.)
Madeline Reed (Jr., Brookings, S.D.)
Volleyball
Stephanie Baker (Sr., Marshall, Minn.)
Emma Chandler (So., Absarokee, Mont.)
Haley Cuppett (Jr., Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Emily Friedrich (Garfield, Minn.)
Macy Westerberg (So., Lake Bronson, Minn.)