For Immediate Release
Saturday, November 10, 2018
NSIC Media Relations
NSIC Elite 18 Award

DULUTH, Minn. – Jason Balts of the University of Minnesota Duluth has been named the 2018 NSIC Elite 18 Award winner for football.  Balts joins Makenzie Morgen (VB) and Kendall Hill (MCC) as Elite 18 winners from UMD this fall.  All three student-athletes earned the Elite 18 Award last season as well. 

Balts is a redshirt senior majoring in educational studies and holds a 3.98 grade point average.  The Barron, Wisconsin played in four games for the Bulldogs before injury sidelined him.  During the first four games he hauled in 14 catches for 264 yards and four touchdowns.  He also returned three kickoffs for 79 yards.  Balts earned All-NSIC First Team honors a year ago. 

As part of the NSIC 25th Anniversary celebration during the 2016-17 academic year, the NSIC Elite 18 Award was instituted 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.

Selection Criteria
1. Academically the student-athlete has achieved at least a sophomore status as defined by his or her own institution.

2. Athletically the student-athlete is in his or her second year of competition at his or her current institution.

3. Athletically the student-athlete is an active member on the roster and a member of the designated squad size for the sport at the championship site.

4. A student-athlete may win the award only once per academic year even if she or he participates in more than one sport.

5. Grade point average is based on the cumulative grade point average at the time of nomination as calculated by each institution. Grade point average calculations will be based on a 4.00 scale and will be reported to two decimal places.

6. In the event of a tie based on grade point average, the award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest total number of credit hours earned.

7. If a tie still exists after looking at the total number of credit hours earned, all student-athletes who are tied shall be presented with the NSIC Elite 18 Award.

For more information on the Elite 18 award winners, log on to: http://northernsun.org/Elite18