NSIC Scholar Athletes of the Year - Britton & Kelley Awards

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NSIC Announces 2010 Britton and Kelly Award Recipients

St. Paul, Minn. — The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) has announced Winona State University’s Marcus Greatens as the 2010 Dr. William Britton Scholar-Athlete Award winner and Winona State University’s Lauren Brown as the 2010 Willis R. Kelly Scholar-Athlete Award recipient. The Britton Scholar-Athlete Award for Academic Excellence, in its 26th year, recognizes the NSIC’s top male student-athlete, while the Kelly Scholar-Athlete Award, in its 25th year, is presented to the NSIC’s top female student-athlete.
The Britton Award was created in 1985 in honor of Dr. William Britton, a longtime faculty representative at Bemidji State University. The Kelly Award is named in honor of Willis R. Kelly, an associate professor of physical education at the University of Minnesota, Morris. A member of the NSIC Hall of Fame, Kelly also coordinated the Minnesota-Morris Physical Education Department from 1970-87. She became the first director of women’s intercollegiate athletics at Minnesota-Morris in 1976 and was later promoted to athletic director for the whole department. Kelly passed away in 1988.
The member institutions of the NSIC nominate one male and one female student-athlete for the Britton and Kelly Awards. The nominees must meet the following criteria: a grade point average of 3.20 or better (on a 4.0 scale); evidence of academic excellence beyond the minimum grade point average (scholarship prizes and other academic recognition), evidence of participation in the life of the institution, and evidence of participation in at least two-thirds of the varsity events of the individual’s primary sport. The award is voted on by the NSIC Faculty Athletic Representatives.
The 26 student-athletes nominated for the NSIC’s two most prestigious awards will also be honored as NSIC Male and Female Honor Student-Athletes of the Year at their respective institutions. Greatens and Brown will be recognized Wednesday, July 14 at the 2010 NSIC Hall of Fame Banquet at the Best Western Kelly Inn and Convention Center in St. Cloud, Minn. Greatens and Brown will each receive a $2,500 post-graduate scholarship.

2010 Dr. William Britton Scholar-Athlete Award for Academic Excellence
PhotoMarcus Greatens, Winona State University - Football
Marcus Greatens, a native of Oneida, Wis. and graduate of Pulaski High School, is a senior majoring in Cell & Molecular Biology and Pre-Medicine at Winona State University. He has a cumulative grade point average of 4.00 and has made the WSU Dean’s List every semester.
Greatens is a three-time member of the NSIC All-Academic Team and graduated Summa Cum Laude. He was a 2009 NSIC Glen Galligan Award winner, named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American First Team and was a National Football Foundation Campbell Trophy Semifinalist. He was also named to the NSIC Football All-Conference First Team last season.
Outside the classroom, Greatens has volunteered at dozens of events including Earth Day clean up, Winona area flood restoration and with the Winona Healing Field (an organization against child abuse). He also volunteered at an area hospital, was an aid worker during the severe flooding in Winona and has worked with the Big Brother Program.
Greatens is presently acting as a personal care assistant for a young man with spina bifida, helping him with physical therapy and is helping him find recreational activities to be active, have fun and experience life.
Greatens is the fourth Britton Award winner from Winona State University, joining Nate Gruber (1995), Jeff Engbrecht (1994) and James Scott Bestual (1985).

2010 Willis R. Kelly Scholar-Athlete Award for Academic Excellence
PhotoLauren Brown, Winona State University - Volleyball / Track & Field
Lauren Brown, a native of Madison, Wis. and graduate of Robert M. Lafollette High School, is a senior majoring in Cell & Molecular Biology and Pre-Medicine at Winona State University. She holds a 4.00 grade point average while being named to the Winona State Dean’s list every semester.
Brown, a four-time NSIC All-Academic Team member, was a 2009 NCAA Academic All-American in Track & Field. She was an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American Third Team member for volleyball in 2008 and 2009. She placed 13th at the 2009 NCAA DII Outdoor Track & Field National Championships in the javelin throw with a toss of 120 feet, nine inches. Earlier that season she won the javelin throw at the NSIC Outdoor Championships with a toss of 127 feet, ten inches.
Brown is the president of the WSU Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She was the recipient of the Most Dedicated Player Award for all four seasons she played volleyball at WSU. In 2009 she was named the Winona State Student-Athlete of the Year.
Outside the of the classroom, Brown has volunteered for the NSIC Make-A-Wish Foundation initiative, at the Twin Cities Shriner’s Hospital, the Winona Steamboat Days Kid’s Craft Booth, the Adopt-a-Highway program and at Jefferson Elementary School. Brown also works with the Winona State Tutoring Services and is a member of the Tri-Beta Biology Club.
Brown is the fourth Kelly Award winner from Winona State University, joining Kallie Tellefsen (2008), Kathryn Kramer (2006) and Karen Darveaux (2003).

2009-10 NSIC Men’s Honor Student-Athlete Award Winners
Austin Vande Berg Augustana College Sr. Cross Country Sioux Falls, S.D.
Zachary Preble Bemidji State University Sr. Track & Field Coleraine, Minn.
John Pimental Concordia University- St. Paul Sr. Track & Field Ripon, Wis.
Andrew Leer University of Mary Sr. Baseball Williston, ND
Tobias Lemke University of Minnesota Duluth Sr. Football Essen, Germany
Michael Robinson Minnesota State University, Mankato Jr. Football Wausau, Wis.
Harrison Dotson Minnesota State University Moorhead Sr. Football Long Prairie, Minn.
Cody Hagamen Northern State Sr. Track & Field Hoven, S.D.
Kevin Andrews Southwest Minnesota State University Sr. Basketball Marion, Iowa
David Deminsky St. Cloud State University Sr. Baseball Sartell, Minn.
Matthew Lesan Upper Iowa University Jr. Basketball Solon, Iowa
Brian J. Metz Wayne State College Sr. Basketball Keswick, Iowa
Marcus Greatens Winona State University Sr. Football Oneida, Wis.

2009-10 NSIC Women’s Honor Student-Athlete Award Winners
Ellen A. Andrews Augustana College Sr. Volleyball Bancroft, Neb.
Madeline Pletta Bemidji State University Sr. Soccer Rochester, Minn.
Maggie McNamara Concordia University-St. Paul Sr. Volleyball Zumbrota, Minn
Elizabeth Sipma University of Mary Sr. Basketball Dickinson, ND
Becky Anderson University of Minnesota Duluth Jr. Soccer Duluth, Minn.
Elizabeth Trauger Minnesota State University, Mankato Sr. Basketball Livermore, Iowa
Allson Nash-Gerlach Minnesota State University Moorhead Sr. Basketball Roseville, Minn.
Kayla Ysteboe Northern State Sr. Volleyball Grand Forks, ND
Danielle Hildebrandt Southwest Minnesota State University Sr. Tennis St. James, Minn.
Heather Miller St. Cloud State University Sr. Track & Field Columbus Wis.
Paige Devine Upper Iowa University Sr. Basketball St. Charles, Minnesota
Jennifer Hefner Wayne State College Jr. Volleyball Archer, Neb.
Lauren Brown Winona State University Sr. Volleyball/Track & Field Madison, Wis.

Past Britton Award Recipients
2010 - Marcus Greatens, Winona State
2009 - Kirk Ingram, Concordia-St. Paul
2008 - Tyler Fischer, Southwest Minnesota State
2007 - Tyler Fischer, Southwest Minnesota State
2006 - Dusty Smith, Wayne State
2005 - Brett Watson, Wayne State
2004 - Baron Blanchard, Northern State
2003 - Tucker Willard, Northern State
2002 - Steven Brandt, Minnesota, Crookston
2001 - Mike May, Bemidji State
2000 - Adam Vossen, MSU Moorhead
1999 - Bart Johnson, MSU Moorhead
1998 - Stephen Blackmarr, Minnesota Duluth
1997 - Jesse Beckermann, Minnesota Duluth
1996 - Lance Luitjens, Northern State
1995 - Nate Gruber, Winona State
1994 - Jeff Engbrecht, Winona State
1993 - Jay Kusler, Northern State
1992 - Jeff Welder, Moorhead State
1991 - Scott Colbeck, Minnesota-Morris
1990 - Dwight Hager, Bemidji State
1989 - Bruce Saugstad, Southwest State
1988 - Tom Aney, Minnesota Duluth
1987 - Dale Harper, Bemidji State
1986 - Jeff Kretchman, Northern State
1985 - James Scott Bestul, Winona State

Past Kelly Award Recipients
2010 - Lauren Brown, Winona State
2009 - Mary Slinger, Concordia-St. Paul
2008 - Kallie Tellefsen, Winona State
2007 - Jessica Trautwein, MSU Moorhead
2006 - Kathryn Kramer, Winona State
2005 - Lindsay Hartmann, MSU Moorhead
2004 - Kristin Peterson, Northern State
2003 - Karen Darveaux, Winona State
2002 - Christy Kubat, Southwest State
2001 - Angela Swanson, Minnesota, Crookston
2000 - Abby Stritesky, Bemidji State
1999 - Janelle Gibbs, Southwest State
1998 - Betsy Pachal, Minnesota Duluth
1997 - Mollie Odell, Northern State
1996 - Paige Karno, Southwest State
1995 - Katy Pivec, Southwest State
1994 - Amy Tenute, Moorhead State
1993 - Amy Erickson, Minnesota Duluth
1992 - Kristin Nelson, Minnesota Duluth
1991 - Jayne Dusich, Bemidji State
1990 - Mary Kortan, Northern State
1989 - Shauna Wendland, Southwest State
1988 - Tara Haiskanen, Minnesota Duluth
1987 - Teresa Greenwood, Moorhead State
1986 - Lisa Muehlbauer, Minnesota Duluth
1985 - Not Awarded