BURNSVILLE — A total of six Southwest Minnesota State University student-athletes have earned the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award, NSIC Commissioner Erin Lind announced on Wednesday. A record total of 194 student-athletes from the NSIC’s 16 institutions received the award now in its 11th year.

The award is given to senior student-athletes with a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher and are on track to graduate. Each student-athlete will be recognized by the NSIC with a certificate of achievement and a wristwatch.

The six SMSU student-athletes to receive the award this year include football player Boyer Bouman, soccer player Kelli Wentz, volleyball players Erin Corrigan and Jenna Walczak and softball players Emma Grote and Kali Tomlinson.

“I am filled with pride on how our student-athletes in the NSIC continue to excel in the classroom, in the community and on the playing field,” Lind said. “We continue to increase the number of student-athletes that have earned the Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award, which is a testament to the dedication of the student-athletes, coaches and administrators in our league.”

Bouman, an education and sports management major from Holland, was a four-year letter winner and three-time Academic All-NSIC honoree. He played in 28 career games and finished his career passing for 3,202 yards with 19 touchdowns.

Wentz, an early childhood and elementary education major from Scottsbluff, Neb., was a four-year letter winner and was named Academic All-NSIC three times. She was a three-year starter and finished her career playing in 69 games.

Corrigan, a native of Hutchinson, and supply chain management major, was a four-year letter winner and three-time Academic All-NSIC honoree. She appeared in 123 matches in her career and amassed 889 digs and 71 services aces in 394 sets.

Walczack, an exercise science major from Wadsworth, Ill., was a four-year letter winner and three-time Academic All-NSIC honoree. She played in 69 career matches and racked up 243 kills and 59 blocks.

Grote, an exercise science major from Blair, Neb., will earn Academic All-NSIC honors three times in her career later this spring. A 2019 CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree, she begins her senior season having played and started 125 games, while batting .307 with 24 stolen bases.

Tomlinson, an elementary education major from Las Vegas, Nev., begins her fourth season this spring and will close her career having earned Academic All-NSIC honors three times. She opens the 2020 season having started 106 games, while batting .342 with 15 home runs and 23 doubles.

“These are characteristics in which Dr. Myles Brand emphasized,” Lind said. “I am extremely proud of all these student-athletes for their devotion to their universities, the NSIC and to their personal academic and athletic goals. I have no doubt these student-athletes will continue to achieve success in life well beyond the classroom and the competition venues.”

Dr. Myles N. Brand, visionary leader, educator and reformer, served as the President of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) from 2003-2009. He passed away in September 2009 at the age of 67 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Brand presided over passage of the most comprehensive academic reform package for intercollegiate athletics in recent history – a package that refocused the attention of student-athletes, coaches and administrators on the education of student-athletes.

Brand also changed the national dialog on college sports to emphasize the educational value of athletics participation and the integration of intercollegiate athletics with the academic mission of higher education. His impact on Division II ran deep by implementing an identity campaign and a strategic-positioning platform tied to specific divisional attributes. He challenged Division II to continue its game environment and community engagement focus, and improve academic success rates.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications