For Immediate Release
Saturday, February 27, 2021
NSIC Media Relations
NSIC Elite 18 Award

MANKATO, Minn. – Rachel Westemeier of Concordia University, St. Paul was named the 2020-21 NSIC Elite 18 Award winner for women’s indoor track & field. Westemeier was presented the award at the NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships, which were held at Myers Field House in Mankato, Minnesota and hosted by Minnesota State University, Mankato. Westemeier joins Kara Lindberg (2020 - CC), Cole Oslin (2020 ODTF), Jena Berkland (2019 - Soccer) and Adam Hildebrandt (2018 - Baseball) as the only Golden Bears to earn the NSIC Elite 18 Award.
 

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.

Westemeier is a senior majoring in social studies education and history with minors in sociology and religion. The St. Michael, Minnesota native holds a 4.0 grade point average and has been named to the NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence on multiple occasion.   At the NSIC Championships this season she cleared 5-1.25 (1.56m)
in the high jump. Her personal bests are 5-2.25 in the high jump, 32-7 in the triple jump and a time of 28.92 in the 200 meter dash.  

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