MARSHALL — Southwest Minnesota State student-athletes from the 2019-20 academic year were honored recently as the SMSU Athletic Department held the 15th annual Celebration of Excellence program via video presentation released last Thursday.

More than 130 student-athletes were recognized during the presentation for earning all-conference, academic all-conference, team MVPs, Mustang Medals and various other awards. A total of 56 senior student-athletes and a department record of 101 scholar student-athletes were honored during the presentation.

Senior softball student-athlete Emma Grote from Blair, Neb., was named the 2019-20 Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, while junior men’s basketball student-athlete Nick Dufault from Waseca, was named Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Football student-athlete Daniel Davis from Tarpon Springs, Fla., received the 2019-20 Male Athlete of the Year honor, while junior track & field student-athlete Rebecca Manteuffel from Cologne, was named Female Athlete of the Year.

Davis earned first team All-NSIC South, Conference Commissioners Association (CCA) All-Region second team, Football Gazette All-Region second team and D2football.com honorable mention All-American accolades following the 2019 season. Davis led Division II in receptions per game finishing with 104 receptions for 1,337 yards and 10 touchdowns. The 104 receptions ranks as the third highest total in team single-season history.

Manteuffel was a 2019 NCAA Outdoor All-American in the discus placing eight overall, becoming the first-ever SMSU female athlete to earn NCAA Outdoor All-American honors. She was also a 2019 NCAA Outdoor National Qualifier in the shot put after earning All-NSIC honors in both events. This past winter, she earned 2020 All-NSIC Indoor accolades in the weight throw and was a 2020 NCAA National Qualifier in the weight throw before the championship was canceled due to COVID-19.

A special thanks to Skewes Jewelry in Marshall for providing the MVP watches, senior awards and the Athlete of the Year awards, and to AP Design in Marshall for providing the Mustang Medals.

The SMSU Athletics Department would like to thank the SMSU Alumni Association and Mustang Booster Club for helping sponsor numerous awards for the program.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications