Photo courtesy of SMSU Athletic Communications SMSU’s Gabriela Reis poses for a photo with her NSIC Elite 18 award on Friday at the NSIC Championships.

WEST FARGO, N.D. — Gabriela Reis of Southwest Minnesota State University was named the 2020-21 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Elite 18 Award winner for women’s swimming & diving on Friday night during the senior recognition ceremony at the NSIC Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships.

Reis, a native of Petropolis, Brazil, is a senior majoring in exercise science, while holding a 4.0 grade point average. She is a two-year letter winner for the Mustangs after spending two seasons at Iowa Lakes Community College.

The NSIC Elite 18 Award was instituted in 2016-17 to recognize the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the NSIC Championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The NSIC Elite 18 award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NSIC’s 18 Championships.

At this year’s championship, Reis was part of the 200-yard freestyle relay that finished in 11th place on Thursday night with a school record time of 1:41.24. On Wednesday night, she was a member of the 200-yard medley relay team that placed 14th overall with a time of 1:53.82. She also competed with the 800-yard freestyle relay team and as an individual in both the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard breaststroke.

Reis joins Rhiannon Sears, from women’s outdoor track & field in 2017, as the only SMSU student-athletes to earn the NSIC Elite 18 Award.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications