NSIC Announces Spring Elite 18 Award Winners

BURNSVILLE, Minn. - The NSIC announced its 2020 Elite 18 Award winners for its seven spring 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 spring, the NSIC adjusted criteria to include all rostered players to be eligible for the award, not just those to make it to the final site.  The seven award winners this spring had an average cumulative GPA of 3.98, including six with perfect 4.0 grade point averages. 

“The NSIC is delighted, that in these unprecedented times, it still has the ability to recognize its spring student-athletes.  Although they were not able to compete in championships this spring, we are excited to be able honor seven exceptional student-athletes with the NSIC Elite 18 Award. All seven 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 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. 

Wayne State’s Aaron Ras repeats as NSIC Elite 18 Award for baseball

Wayne State's Aaron Ras repeated as the NSIC Elite 18 Award winner for baseball as he held the highest grade point average with the most credits earned among the 15 baseball playing schools. Ras was the first Wildcat to earn the NSIC Elite 18 Award since its inception in 2016-17 when he was honored last spring. He now joins Brock Hegarty (2019- ODTF) as the only Wildcats to earn the award. 

Ras is a junior majoring in interdisciplinary studies and holds a 4.00 grade point average. The Bancroft, Nebraska native was named WSC's Male Freshman Athlete of the Year after a standout rookie season in 2018 where he was 5-2 in 10 starts.  Ras is a two-time NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence award winner. 

Upper Iowa’s Logan Schweinefus earns NSIC Elite 18 Award for men's golf

Upper Iowa's Logan Schweinefus earned the NSIC Elite 18 Award for men's golf as he held the highest grade point average among the 10 men's golf playing schools. Schweinefus is the fifth student-athlete from Upper Iowa earn the NSIC Elite 18 Award, joining Anna Winter (volleyball, 2019), Kortney Lightfoot (outdoor track & field - 2019), Monica Rohe (women's golf -2017) and Ethan Ducharme (men's golf -2018).

Schweinefus, a native of Ossian, Iowa and graduate or South Winneshiek High School, is a senior and holds a 3.87 grade point average while majoring in agricultural business. He is a three-time NSIC All-Academic team member and a recipient of the NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award.  On the course. Schweinefus played 10 rounds this past season for the Peacocks and averaged a team low 73.6 stroke average, which tied for seventh best in the NSIC.  His low round score of 71 came during the Watkins Invitational back in September. 

MSU Moorhead’s Jill Safranski repeats as NSIC Elite 18 Award for women's golf

MSU Moorhead's Jill Safranski repeated as the NSIC Elite 18 Award winner for women's golf as he held the highest grade point average with the most credits earned among the 12 women's golf playing schools. Safranski was the first Dragon to earn the NSIC Elite 18 Award since its inception in 2016-17 when she was honored at the 2019 spring championship. She now joins Jake Mertens (2020- MBB) as the only Dragons to earn the award. 

Safranski is a junior majoring in accounting and holds a 4.00 grade point average. The Thief River Falls, Minnesota native is a two-time NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence award winner and has held the second best stroke average for the Dragons over the past two seasons.

Northern State's Shayla Steinley earns NSIC Elite 18 Award for softball

Northern State's Shayla Steinley earned the NSIC Elite 18 Award for softball as he held the highest grade point average and most completed credits among the 16 softball teams. She is the fourth student-athlete from Northern State to earn the NSIC Elite 18 Award, joining DJ Pollard (2017 & 2018 - Men's Basketball)  Sasha Hovind (2017- Indoor Track & Field and 2017- Cross Country ) and Joe Gomez (2017 - Wrestling).

Steinley, a seniors from Lakeville, Minnesota and graduate of North High School, holds 4.0 grade point average as she majors in biology. She is a three-time NSIC All-Academic Team member, a two-time NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence recipient and received the NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award.  During the 2020 season, Steinley was selected as a team captain.  She played in 13 games, hitting .300 after going 9-for-30 with eight runs scored and stealing three bases. 

Concordia-St. Paul's Cole Oslin earns NSIC Elite 18 Award for men's outdoor track & field

Concordia-St. Paul's Cole Oslin earned the NSIC Elite 18 Award for men's outdoor track & field as he held the highest grade point average and most completed credits among the 12 men's outdoor track & field teams. Oslin is the fourth student-athlete from Concordia-St. Paul to earn the NSIC Elite 18 Award, joining Jena Berkland (2019 - Soccer), Kara Lindberg (2019 - Indoor Track & Field) and Adam Hildebrandt (2018 - Baseball) as the only Golden Bears to earn the NSIC Elite 18 Award.
 
The Mora, Minnesota native has been a part of CSP’s track & field and cross-country teams for the past four years. His work ethic on the track and in the classroom has earned him seven NSIC All-Academic awards throughout his career in addition to being awarded the NSIC Myles Brand Academic with Distinction honor earlier this year. Oslin was also named to the second All-NSIC team during his senior cross-country season for his performance at the conference championships.

Bemidji State's Allyna Storms earns NSIC Elite 18 Award for women's outdoor track & field

Bemidji State's Allyna Storms earned the NSIC Elite 18 Award for women's outdoor track & field as he held the highest grade point average and most completed credits among the 15 women's outdoor track & field teams. Storms is the third student-athlete from Bemidji State earn the NSIC Elite 18 Award, joining Anna Fobbe (2017 - soccer) and Ben Skaar (2017 - men's golf) as the only Beavers to earn the honor.

Storms is a junior from Becker, Minnesota and a graduate of Becker High School. She holds a 4.0 grade point average as she majors in psychology, criminal justice & political science at BSU. She is a two-time NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence award winner for outdoor track & field.  Storms ranks eighth all-time at BSU in the indoor mile (300m track) and was part of the 4X1600 meter relay team that set a new Bemidji State indoor track record in 2018-19.

Winona State’s Kendra Kappes repeats as NSIC Elite 18 winner for women’s tennis

Kendra Kappes of Winona State University repeated as the NSIC Elite 18 Award winner for women’s tennis.   Kappes was the second Warrior to earn the Elite 18 Award for women's tennis as Rachel Gantz won the award three seasons ago. Winona State has now had six student-athletes earn the NSIC Elite 18 Award on seven occasions since its inception in 2016-17.
 
Kappes is a senior majoring in biology (cell & molecular) and holds a 4.00 grade point average.  The Neenah, Wisconsin native owned a 7-5 No. 2 singles record and was 11-1 in double action with partner Rachle Kelly during the shortened tennis season.  Kappes earned CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team honors in 2018-19 and is a three-time NSIC All-Academic team member.