BURNSVILLE, Minn. - 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 schools. Will and Jacob Jensen (men's cross country 2020) 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 years, 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.  

“Jordan has been a constant and consistent leader for our football team from the moment he stepped on campus. He has been voted captain three years in a row and has also served on our leadership council since its inception. As an elite two-sport college athlete, he is highly competitive athletically, and carries that competitiveness into the classroom,” stated Minot State Head Football Coach Mike Aldrich.

As part of the NSIC 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.