NSIC Announces Fall Elite 18 Award Winners

BURNSVILLE, Minn. - The NSIC announced its 2020 Elite 18 Award winners for its five fall sports. 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. Although championships were not contested this fall, the NSIC adjusted the criteria to include all rostered players to be eligible for the award, not just those that make it to the final site. All five award winners this fall hold a 4.0 cumulative grade point average. 

“The NSIC is delighted, that in these unprecedented times, it still has the ability to recognize its fall student-athletes. Although they were not able to compete in championships this fall, we are excited to be able to honor five exceptional student-athletes with the NSIC Elite 18 Award. All five epitomize what it means to be a student-athlete in the NSIC and NCAA Division II,” said NSIC Commissioner Erin Lind.

As part of the NSIC's 25th Anniversary celebration, 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. 

Minot State’s Jacob Jensen earns NSIC Elite 18 Award for Men's Cross Country

Minot State's Jacob Jensen earned the NSIC Elite 18 Award winner for men's cross country as he held the highest grade point average with the most credits earned among the 12 men's cross country institutions. Jensen and Jordan Will (2020 - Football) are the third and fourth Beavers to earn the NSIC Elite 18 Award since its inception in 2016-17. They join Andrea Franco (2016 & 2018 - Soccer & 2019-20 - IDTF) and Caleb Fornshell (2017 - Baseball) as the only Beavers to earn the award. 

Jensen is a sophomore majoring in computer science and holds a 4.00 grade point average. The Belcourt, North Dakota native finished 26th as a freshman at the 2019 NSIC Cross Country Championships with a time of 27:14.9.  His best finish was at the 2019 Dragon Twilight where his time of 19.27.5 earned him 15th place. He was also named to the NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence this fall.  

Concordia-St. Paul's Kara Lindberg earns NSIC Elite 18 Award for Women's Cross Country

Concordia St. Paul's Kara Lindberg earned the NSIC Elite 18 Award for women's cross country as she held the highest grade point average among the 15 women's cross country institutions. Lindberg, who also won the 2018-19 Elite 18 for women's indoor track & field, is the fourth student-athlete from Concordia-St. Paul to earn the NSIC Elite 18 Award. She joins Cole Olsin (2020 - ODTF), Jena Berkland (2019 - Soccer) and Adam Hildebrandt (2018 - Baseball) as the only Golden Bears to earn the NSIC Elite 18 Award.

Lindberg is a senior majoring in accounting and holds a 4.00 grade point average. The Pine Island, Minnesota native was selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team, earned USTFCCCA All-Academic Honors and is a multiple time selection to the NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence. She competed in all six races for the Golden Bears in 2019 and ran the second fastest 5K in school history at the Augie Twilight with a time of 18:47.2. She finished 27th at the NSIC Championships with a 6K time of 23:29.93.  

Minot State's Jordan Will earns NSIC Elite 18 Award for Football

Minot State's Jordan Will earned the NSIC Elite 18 Award for football as he held the highest grade point average with the most credits earned among the 14 football playing institutions. Will and Jacob Jensen (2020 - Men's Cross Country) are the third and fourth Beavers to earn the NSIC Elite 18 Award since its inception in 2016-17. They join Andrea Franco (2016 & 2018 - Soccer & 2019-20 - IDTF) and Caleb Fornshell (2017 - Baseball) as the only Beavers to earn the award. 

Will is a senior majoring in accounting and holds a 4.00 grade point average. The Minot, North Dakota native played in all 11 games for the Beavers in 2019 where he made 29 tackles with 6.5 tackles for a loss of 31 yards, including 2.5 sacks. He has been a multiple time member of the NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence and was named to the President's Honor Roll at Minot State.  

Bemidji State's Carolyn Smith earns NSIC Elite 18 Award for Women's Soccer

Bemidji State's Carolyn Smith earned the NSIC Elite 18 Award for women's soccer as she held the highest grade point average and most completed credits among the 16 soccer teams. She is the fourth student-athlete from Bemidji State to earn the NSIC Elite 18 Award, joining Allyna Storms (2020 - ODTF),  Anna Fobbe (2017 - Soccer) and Ben Skaar (2017 - Men's Golf) as the only Beavers to earn the honor.

Smith, a senior from Grand Forks, North Dakota and graduate of Grand Forks Central High School, holds 4.0 grade point average as she majors in biology & chemistry. She is a three-time NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence recipient and earned the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award in 2019. During her career, she has played in 35 matches for the Beavers, including seven in 2019, where she logged 63 minutes.

Sioux Falls' Krista Goerger earns NSIC Elite 18 Award for Volleyball

Sioux Falls' Krista Goerger earned the NSIC Elite 18 Award for volleyball as she held the highest grade point average and most completed credits among the 16 volleyball teams. Goerger is the fourth student-athlete from Sioux Falls to earn the NSIC Elite 18, joining Jacey Huinker (2017-18 - Women's Basketball), Evan Hagen (2017 - ODTF) and Austin Schaffer (2017 - Football).
 
The Mankato, Minnesota native established a career mark of 2,397 set assists over her first 78 matches. Goerger has the program's two-top season marks for set assists average with 10.37 (94 sets) in 2019 and 10.36 (102 sets), in 2018. All-time, she ranks second in assists per set at 9.08 while ranking third in career service aces with 90, ranks eighth in digs and seventh all-time in digs per set at 1.72. She played a key role in USF's first 20-win campaign at the DII level as the Cougars earned regional consideration and advanced to the NSIC Tournament semifinals for the first time in 2018. Additionally, she helped USF earn an AVCA top-20 rankings for the first time a year ago (2019) during a 17-11 season.