MARSHALL — The Southwest Minnesota State University Athletics Department celebrates the accomplishments of our outstanding Mustang student-athletes each year with the “Celebration of Excellence” awards program.

The program honors student-athletes that earned awards throughout the year, including All-NSIC, scholar athletes, national qualifiers, All-Americans, All-Region honorees, Myles Brand Award winners, and team MVPs, along with special SMSU faculty and SAAC awards. Nearly 70 SMSU senior student-athletes will be recognized as well for their dedication to Mustang Athletics. The 2020-21 Female and Male Athletes of the Year and the 2020-21 Female and Male Scholar-Athletes of the Year will also be announced.

Due to COVID-19, an in-person “Celebration of Excellence” program couldn’t be held for the second straight year. But, over the next several weeks, SMSU Athletics will still recognize our deserving student-athletes via our website and other social media outlets.

On Monday, we celebrated our SMSU Female and Male Scholar Athletes of the Year, who both produced excellence not only during athletic competition but in the classroom as well.

The 2020-21 SMSU Female Scholar Athlete of the Year is fifth-year senior softball player, Emma Grote, from Blair, Neb. It’s the second straight year she has earned the SMSU Female Scholar Athlete of the Year award. Grote is an exercise science major with a minor in biology, chemistry and psychology and carries a 3.98 GPA. She is a four-time Academic All-NSIC honoree and twice has been named CoSIDA Academic All-District. Grote also earned the NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award in 2020.

The 2020-21 SMSU Male Scholar Athlete of the Year is senior football player, Trey Sachs, from Elkhorn, Neb. Sachs is an exercise science-allied health emphasis/pre-med major with a minor in chemistry and holds a 3.88 GPA. He is a two-time Academic All-NSIC honoree and this fall was one of just 20 Division II football student-athletes named a semifinalist for the NFF Campbell Trophy which recognizes the top football scholar athlete in the nation. Sachs also earned the NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award in 2021.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications