For Immediate Release
Thursday, April 25, 2024
NSIC Elite 18 Award

SMITHVILLE, Mo. - Winona State's Rachel Henderson repeated as the NSIC Elite 18 Award winner for women's golf as she held the highest grade point average of the participating members of the 12 women's golf playing schools. Henderson was presented the award during the pre-championship meeting Thursday night.  The NSIC Women's Golf Championship runs Friday-Sunday, April 26-28 at Paradise Pointe Golf Complex in Smithville, Missouri.  

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.

Henderson, a native of Jordan, Minnesota and graduate of Jordan High School, is a senior and holds a 4.00 grade point average while majoring in composite materials engineering. Henderson holds an 80.2 stroke average over 17 rounds with a low round of 73 this season.  She had one top-5 finish this season during the Upper Iowa Invite where she finished third. 

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 15-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 27 team national championships and crowned 113 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.

About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes have the opportunity to earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.