For Immediate Release
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
NSIC Elite 18 Award

BURNSVILLE, Minn. - 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.

“One word that comes to mind when someone asks me about Jill is “selfless”….She has a selfless leadership style that embraces everyone around her & empowers them to find success in whatever they are working at. Jill also makes her people a priority, no matter what is going on in her life she finds a way to make sure her people know she is there for them & will help. I am so incredibly proud of Jill’s hard work as a student athlete and as a human being,” said MSUM's Head Women's Golf Coach Chelsey McGinnis.

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.