General | 1/30/2026 1:18:00 PM

BURNSVILLE, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston athletic department had 11 student-athletes awarded with the NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award. The honor, named for the late NCAA President Dr. Myles Brand, is bestowed to NSIC academic senior student-athletes who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher (student-athletes can only earn the award once). Each student-athlete will be recognized by the NSIC with a certificate of achievement and a wristwatch. A total of 323 student-athletes from the NSIC's 16 institutions will receive the award in its 17th year. 

"It is incredibly rewarding to see NSIC student-athletes continue to thrive academically, serve their communities, and compete at a high level," said NSIC Commissioner Erin Lind. "Those qualities reflect the principles championed by Dr. Myles Brand, and they remain at the heart of what we value in this conference. I am proud of the commitment these student-athletes show to their institutions, the NSIC, and their own academic and athletic pursuits, and I am confident their success will extend far beyond their time in competition." 

The Golden Eagles were represented by: Lauren Bowyer (Ivanhoe, Minn., women's golf), Charlotte Dombrowski (Valparaiso, Ind., softball), Ruth Freiberg (Hopkins, Minn., softball), Emilee Haggadone (Lincoln, Neb., softball), Madison Hilliard (Jacksonville, N.C., women's cross country), Anaka Lysne (Wahpeton, N.D.), women's golf), Natalie Mikrot (Willow River, Minn., women's basketball), Jonah Norman (Winnipeg, Manitoba, baseball), Kyle Odenbach (Thompson, N.D., baseball), Isaac Telle (East Grand Forks, Minn., baseball), Gannon Walsh (Belgrade, Minn., men's golf). 

Dr. Myles N. Brand, visionary leader, educator and reformer, served as the President of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) from 2003-2009. He passed away in September 2009 at the age of 67. 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. 

About the NSIC 

The NSIC is a 16-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 122 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 can 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.