Golden Cobb Award Winners 2022

MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/21/22)--- The Concordia Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) hosted the 9th annual Golden Cobbs award ceremony on Thursday night in Memorial Auditorium.

The Golden Cobbs are a year-end celebration of all the great accomplishments from the past year in Concordia athletics.

The awards ceremony was preceded by a free dinner which was supplied by Buffalo Wild Wings who is one of the sponsors for the ceremony.

The awards ceremony featured 16 different category winners. In addition to the awards voted on by fans, family and friends – achievements in academics by the Concordia student/athletes were also recognized. 

| 2022 Golden Cobbs Award Ceremony Complete Video |

The 2022 Jaynie Halvorson Service Award was presented to the women's hockey team for their community service work. The award is named after former Cobber women's basketball player Jaynie Halvorson and is awarded to the Concordia team with the most volunteer impact in the Fargo-Moorhead community. 

This year's Bucky Burgau Impact Award was awarded to former Athletic Director Dr. Larry Pappenfuss who had a huge impact on Concordia athletics during his tenure during the 2000's.    

Here is a list of the award winners from the 9th annual Golden Cobbs awards:

Male Athlete of the Year: Munir Isahak, Men’s Track & Field/Men's Cross Country
Munir Isahak became the first men’s cross country athlete to earn All-American honors since 1987. He also became the first Cobber to win the MIAC cross country championship since 1991. During the 2022 Indoor Track season, Isahak broke four school records (mile, 3000 meters twice and the 5000 meters) in the month of February. 

Female Athlete of the Year: Megan Gavin, Softball
Megan Gavin broke the school record for strikeouts in a single season and a career. She became the first Cobber to earn All-Region honors since 2002. She was named to the MIAC All-Conference Team and was the first player in school history to be named the NFCA DIII National Pitcher of the Week.

Male Newcomer of the Year: Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe, Men’s Hockey
Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe was named to the MIAC All-Rookie Team after finishing ninth in the MIAC in total points in league games. He scored eight goals in MIAC play which was the fourth most in the MIAC.

Female Newcomer of the Year: Peyton Selle, Women's Track & Field
Peyton Selle was the first Cobber to win the MIAC heptathlon since 1994. She also earned All-Region honors in the heptathlon, and earned All-Conference Honorable Mention honors in the 100-meter hurdles and 4x400-meter relay. Selle won the pentathlon at the MIAC Indoor Meet in 2022 and was also All-Conference in the high jump.

Coach of the Year: Maddie Van Beek, Men's & Women's Cross Country
In her first season as head coach of the Cobber men’s and women’s cross country teams, Maddie Van Beek helped senior Munir Isahak become the first MIAC champion since 1991 and All-American since 1987. She guided the men’s team to its best finish at the MIAC conference meet since 1999.  The men’s team had all five of their scoring runners finish in the Top 40 at the meet.  

Individual Best Moment: Cayle Hovland, Women's Track & Field at MIAC Meet 
Cayle Hovland was named the MIAC  Outdoor Meet Field Athlete of the Meet after winning the discus and earning All-Conference honors in the discus, shot put and hammer throw at the outdoor meet

Team Sport Best Individual Moment: Jerica Friese, Women's Hockey hat trick vs. No.2-ranked Wis.-Eau Claire
Jerica Friese scored all three goals in the Cobbers’ 3-2 upset over No.2-ranked Wis.-Eau Claire. All three of Friese’s goals came in the final 20:07 of play after Eau Claire had taken a 2-0 lead. 

Milestone Moment of the Year: Munir Isahak, Men's Cross Country, winning the MIAC Meet
Munir Isahak became the first Cobber men’s cross country athlete to win the MIAC championship since 1987 when ran a time of 24:50.2. That time won the race by almost a full 9 seconds and was the seventh fastest time in conference history.

Game/Meet of the Year: Men’s Track & Field runner-up finish at the MIAC Indoor Meet
The men’s track and field team finished second at the MIAC Indoor Meet for the second consecutive time as they won nine of the 20 events (5 track events, 2 relays, and 2 field events). During the course of the indoor meet, the Cobber broke an amazing six school records. CC finished with 139 team points which is the most-ever scored by the Cobbers at an MIAC indoor meet.

Upset of the Year: Women’s Hockey vs. No.2-ranked, and previously unbeaten, Wis.-Eau Claire
The women’s hockey team rallied from a 2-0 deficit and beat No.2-ranked Wis.-Eau Claire 3-2 in overtime. The Cobbers got three goals from sophomore Jerica Friese to hand the 11-0-0 Blugolds their first loss of the season. The win was the program’s first-ever victory over a Top 3 team in DIII.    

Comeback of the Year: Jake Nohre, Wrestling
Jake Nohre miraculously survived a tragic train accident two years ago, and returned to the mat to compete in the entire 2021-22 season. He wrestled in 20 matches during the year and capped his career by winning his match during the annual Senior Celebration Night. Nohre finished his career with 48 career victories.  

Super Cobb: Josie Herrmann, Women's Track & Field
Athletic:
- 2021 MIAC Nominee for the NCAA Woman-of-the-Year award
- 2021 MIAC Outdoor Track & Field Champion: 800 Meters, 1500 Meters.
- 2021 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships: 800 Meters 13th place 2:14.27; 1500 Meters 13th place 4:39.22.
- 2020 MIAC Indoor Track & Field Champion: 1000 Meters
- 2020 NCAA Indoor Track & Field All-American: 800 Meters.
- 2019 MIAC Indoor Track & Field Champion: 1000 Meters.
- 4x NCAA All-Region: 800 Meters (3 times), and 1500 Meters.
- 3 Schools Records: Indoor- 600 Meters, 1000 Meters, Mile.
Academic:
- 3.85 GPA double major: Biology major, Spanish major, Chemistry minor.
- Dean’s List, Magna Cum Laude, Paleontology Research.
- 3x MIAC Academic All-Conference.
- 3x National Coaches Association Academic All-American.
Service:
- During COVID-19 pandemic worked as a certified nursing assistant in both a long-term care facility and a hospital;
- Volunteer at track & field events for Special Olympics, Hope Inc., and local High School track and field meets.
- Habitat for Humanity Spring Break trip in 2018.
- Paleontology research trip to Montana.

Men's Team GPA: Men's Golf
Women's Team GPA: Women's Cross Country
Jaynie Halvorson Service Award: Women’s Hockey
Bucky Burgau Impact Award: Dr. Larry Papenfuss