BURNSVILLE, Minn. – A total of 12 Southwest Minnesota State University student-athletes have earned the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award, NSIC Commissioner Erin Lind announced on Friday. A total of 258 student-athletes from the NSIC's 15 institutions received the award now in its 16th year.
 
The award is given to student-athletes with a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher and are on track to graduate this spring. Each student-athlete will be recognized by the NSIC with a certificate of achievement and a wristwatch.
 
This year's honorees include volleyball player Karli Arkell (Lamberton, Minn.), track & field athlete Sierra Clifford (Hayward, Wis.), track & field/cross country athlete Catherine Ihrke (New Lenox, Ill.), soccer player Dare Kroeten (St. Louis Park, Minn.), volleyball player Saari Kuehl (Reinbeck, Iowa), track & field/cross country athlete Macie Langstraat (Ankeny, Iowa), soccer player Haley Mason (Chippewa Falls, Wis.), softball player Morgyn Otte (Randolph, Minn.), track & field/cross country athlete Kaaryna Smidel (Kewaunee, Wis.), women's basketball player Bri Stoltzman (Mankato, Minn.), track & field athlete Shealyn Tom (Brea, Calif.) and volleyball player Emma VanHeel (Otsego, Minn.).
 
"I am filled with pride on how our student-athletes in the NSIC continue to excel in the classroom, in the community and on the playing field. These are characteristics in which Dr. Myles Brand emphasized," Lind said. "I am extremely proud of all these student-athletes for their devotion to their universities, the NSIC and to their personal academic and athletic goals. I have no doubt these student-athletes will continue to achieve success in life well beyond the classroom and the competition venues."
 
Dr. Myles N. Brand, visionary leader, educator and reformer, served as the President of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) from 2003-09. He passed away in September 2009 at the age of 67 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Brand presided over passage of the most comprehensive academic reform package for intercollegiate athletics in recent history – a package that refocused the attention of student-athletes, coaches and administrators on the education of student-athletes.
 
Brand also changed the national dialog on college sports to emphasize the educational value of athletics participation and the integration of intercollegiate athletics with the academic mission of higher education. His impact on Division II ran deep by implementing an identity campaign and a strategic-positioning platform tied to specific divisional attributes. He challenged Division II to continue its game environment and community engagement focus and improve academic success rates.