Academic All-MIAC Numbers Up Again
MOORHEAD, Minn. (1/23/19)--- For the second straight fall Concordia posted a record-setting number of MIAC Academic All-Conference honorees. The Cobbers had 45 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 42 set last fall. Concordia also had 40 student/athletes ear the award in 2013.
In addition to the increase in total number of Academic All-Conference honorees, Concordia had a record setting number of student/athletes earn their third consecutive conference academic award.
The Cobbers had an impressive 15 seniors 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 Aaron Ahrndt, Treyton Austvold, Jesse Bucholz, Gunnar Kollman, Kevin Marzolf, Dane Ringquist and Noah Taylor from football, Brianna Gruenberg of the women’s cross country team, Richard Lancaster and Austin Peterson of the men’s soccer team, Kirsten Bokinskie, Erin Eidsness, Katie Gillette and Maddy Reed from women’s soccer and Haley Cuppett of the volleyball squad.
The Cobber football team led the way for the six different fall sports teams (men’s and women’s golf awards are handed out in the spring). The Concordia football team saw their number of Academic All-Conference award winners grow for the second straight season. The football team had 21 student/athletes earn the award which is two more than last season and nine more than the total in 2016.
The football team also had seven players earn Academic All-Conference honors for the third straight season.
The women’s soccer also saw their number of Academic All-Conference award winners increase. The team had nine individuals capture the honor after last season’s total of six.
The men’s and women’s cross country, men’s soccer and volleyball teams all recorded identical numbers of award winners as last year. The women’s cross country team led those four squads with five student/athletes being placed on Academic All-Conference list.
The fall was also a record-setting season for the MIAC as well. The league saw a remarkable 427 student-athletes named Academic All-Conference in the fall of 2018.
It is now the seventh 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, 380 in 2016, and 412 last year.
The total of 427 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 2018 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.
Football had the most honorees with 98, up nine from last season's 89. Women's soccer was not far behind with 94, one fewer than the sport record of 95 in 2017. Men's soccer had 67 honorees (68 in 2017), women's cross country had 66 (62 in 2017), volleyball had 56 (58 in 2017), and men's cross country had 46 (40 in 2017)..
Cobber MIAC Academic All-Conference Athletes – Fall 2018
Men’s Cross Country
Connor Haugrud (So., Detroit Lakes, Minn.)
Eric Wicklund (Jr., Moorhead, Minn.)
Women’s Cross Country
Kara Andersen (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.)
Miriah Forness (Jr., Casselton, N.D.)
Brianna Gruenberg (Sr., Moorhead, Minn.)
Josie Hermann (So., New Prague, Minn.)
Tarja Nelsen (Sr., Andover, Mass.)
Football
Aaron Ahrndt (Sr., Benson, Minn.)
Treyton Austvold (Sr., Spicer, Minn.)
William Berning (Jr., St. Michael, Minn.)
Brett Brenden (Sr., Rothsay, Minn.)
Jesse Bucholz (Sr., Perham, Minn.)
Peter Bueide (Sr., Fargo, N.D.)
Christopher Claussen (So., Glenwood, Minn.)
Gabe Enderle (So., Fergus Falls, Minn.)
Maison Grefe (Jr., Cold Spring, Minn.)
Dan Johnson (So., Rosemount, Minn.)
Gunnar Kollman (Sr., Fargo, N.D.)
Blake Kragnes (Jr., Dilworth, Minn.)
Kevin Marzolf (Sr., Mankato, Minn.)
Sean McGuire (So., Fergus Falls, Minn.)
Sam Michel (Jr., Phoenix, Ariz.)
Dane Ringquist (Sr., Fergus Falls, Minn.)
Alec Schimmel (So., Rosemount, Minn.)
Jordan Spaeth (Sr., Waubun, Minn.)
Noah Taylor (Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo.)
John Voorhees (So., Tucson, Ariz.)
Simon Weller (So., Brooten, Minn.)
Men’s Soccer
Jackson Carr (So., Grand Forks, N.D.)
Richard Lancaster (Sr., Fargo, N.D.)
Anthony Morrell (Sr., Bismarck, N.D.)
Austin Peterson (Sr., Fargo, N.D.)
Women’s Soccer
Kalli Baarstad (Jr., Fargo, N.D.)
Klara Beinhorn (So., Brookings, S.D.)
Kirsten Bokinskie (Sr., Fargo, N.D.)
Samantha Dalsin (So., Eden Prairie, Minn.)
Erin Eidsness (Sr., Moorhead, Minn.)
Katie Gillette (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Rachel Nemer (So., Fargo, N.D.)
Madeline Reed (Sr., Brookings, S.D.)
Hannah Sandin (So., Zimmerman, Minn.)
Volleyball
Abigail Christenson (So., Moorhead, Minn.)
Haley Cuppett (Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Bailey Gronner (So., Wright, Minn.)
Jill Klaphake (So., Sauk Centre, Minn.)