The University of Minnesota Duluth had two of its student athletes named as Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Honor Student-Athlete Award Winners. Junior defensive tackle Dan Monson and senior setter Emily Balts were this years winners from UMD. The member institutions of the NSIC nominate one male and one female student-athlete for the Britton and Kelly Awards. The nominees must meet the following criteria: a grade point average of 3.5 or better (on a 4.0 scale); evidence of academic excellence beyond the minimum grade point average (scholarship prizes and other academic recognition), evidence of participation in the life of the institution, and evidence of participation in at least two-thirds of the varsity events of the individual's primary sport. The award is voted on by the NSIC Faculty Athletic Representatives. The 32 student-athletes nominated for the NSIC's two most prestigious awards will also be honored as NSIC Male and Female Honor Student Athletes of the Year at their respective institutions. Alex Goettl (Minnesota State University) and Maggie Knier (Minnesota State University) will each receive a $3,000 post-graduate scholarship.

Monson capped off his first year of full-time starting duty on the University of Minnesota Duluth on the defensive front by being selected to the 2019 Don Hansen All-American third team, as well as being named to the All-Super Region Four First Team, CoSIDA Academic All-American Second Team and NSIC All-Conference First Team Defense and maintained a 3.75 GPA while pursuing a degree in civil engineering at UMD. Monson, a 6-2, 240-pound junior tackle out of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., was credited with 26 total tackles -- including 20 solo stops -- this past fall with 8.0 of those resulting in lost yardage. The 2019 All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference first team honoree also recovered one fumble and blocked one kick for the NSIC North Division champion Bulldogs.

Balts, from Loretto, Minn., (one of two recipients for the E.L. "Duce" award earlier this year) is a chemical engineering major with a certificate in business administration.  Balts has a cumulative grade point average of 3.9 while competing on the UMD volleyball team as a four year starter.  The senior setter left the volleyball program ranked fourth in all-time career assists and was a two time All-American.  Balts was a 2018 and 2019 CoSIDA Division II Academic All-American and a 2018-19 NSIC Myles Brand award recipient.  In addition, honors include UMD Swenson College of Science and Engineering Dean's List honoree (all semesters) and UMD Labovitz School of Business Dean's List honoree (all semesters). Balts was named as a Third Team All-American this season by the American Volleyball Coaches Association and finished out her career leading all setters across all divisions in both assists (5,559) and assists per set (12.22) over their career. With that total, Balts was able to move into fourth all time at UMD, moving past Greta Iisakka (5,537). She had 1,378 total assists this season, which came out to a 12.19 per set average, sitting second in DII and across all divisions. She lead the team to a .247 hitting clip on the year. She was also able to nab 73 kills (highest of her career) while clipping at a .314 efficiency (highest of her career). She grabbed 248 (2.19 per set, both total and per set highest of career) digs this season, totaling out to 858 while with the Bulldogs. She was able to grab 27 block assists this season, giving her a 171 career total. Balts has played every set for the Bulldogs this season, with 43 coming against regionally ranked opponents and 59 coming against top 25 ranked teams in the nation this season. In those 43 sets, Balts had 516 assists, which comes to a 12.00 average per set. Along with that total, Balts had 28 kills, six aces, 87 digs (2.02/set) and 10 blocking assists. In matches against top 25 nationally ranked teams, she had 699 assists, coming out to an 11.85 average. She also had 35 kills, seven aces, 132 digs (2.24/set) and 15 blocking assists. She was awarded with four the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Setter of the Week awards this season, was named to First Team NSIC All-Conference, NCAA Central Regional All-Tournament Team and D2CCA All-Region Second Team.
 

2019-20 NSIC Men's Honor Student-Athlete Award Winners
Name	University	Yr.	Sport	Hometown	High School
Benjamin Kelvington	Augustana University	Sr.	Wrestling	Jordan, Minn.	Jordan
Derek Thompson	Bemidji State University	Jr.	Basketball	Cold Spring, Minn.	Rocori
Cole Oslin	Concordia University, St. Paul	Sr.	CC/Track & Field	Mora, Minn.	Mora
Leonardo Vecchi	University of Mary	Jr.	Football	Bergamo, Italy	S.B. Capitanio
Trevor Long Jr.	University of Minnesota Crookston	Sr.	Football	Brooklin Park, Minn.	Champlin Park
Dan Monson	University of Minnesota Duluth	Jr.	Football	Inver Grove Heights, Minn	Rosemount
Alex Goettl	Minnesota State University, Mankato	Sr.	Football	Mankato, Minn	Mankato West
Ethan Gerbig	Minnesota State University Moorhead	Jr.	Football	De Pere, Wis.	De Pere
Carson Harcourt	Minot State University	Sr.	Golf	Kipling, Sask.	Kipling
Zachary Mohs	Northern State University	Sr.	Football	Horace, N.D.	West Fargo
Jonathan Cooney	University of Sioux Falls	Sr.	Golf	Pickstown, S.D.	Andes Central
Nick Dufault	Southwest Minnesota State University	Jr.	Basketball	Waseca, Minn.	Waseca Senior
John Solberg	St. Cloud State University	Sr.	Football	Cambridge, Minn.	Cambridge-Isanti
Nicholas Baumler	Upper Iowa University	Sr.	Wrestling	West Union, Iowa	North Fayette Valley
Ethan Knudson	Wayne State College	Sr.	Football	Harlan, Iowa	Harlan
Nick Pridgeon	Winona State University	Gr.	Football	Wauwatosa, Wis.	Wauwatosa East

 

2019-20 NSIC Women's Honor Student-Athlete Award Winners
Name	University	Yr.	Sport	Hometown	High School
Abby Hora	Augustana University	Sr.	Basketball	Viborg, S.D.	Viborg-Hurley
Tia Neuharth	Bemidji State University	Sr.	Soccer	Prior Lake, Minn	Prior Lake
Hannah Pavek	Concordia University, St. Paul	Sr.	Soccer	Eagan, Minn.	Eagan
Breanna Donarski	University of Mary	Sr.	Volleyball	Powell, Wyo.	Powell
Paige Pitlick	University of Minnesota Crookston	Sr.	Softball/CC	Jordan, Minn.	Jordan
Emily (Torve) Balts	University of Minnesota Duluth	Sr.	Volleyball	Loretto, Minn.	Heritage Christian Academy
Margaret Knier	Minnesota State University, Mankato	Sr.	Swimming	Big Lake, Minn.	Homeschooled
Megan Hintz	Minnesota State University Moorhead	Sr.	Basketball	Rochester Minn.	Dover-Eyota
Kaitlyn Hill	Minot State University	Sr.	Golf	Bowman, N.D.	Bowman County
Brianna Kusler	Northern State University	Sr.	Basketball	Aberdeen, S.D.	Aberdeen Central
Jacey Huinker	University of Sioux Falls	Gr.	Basketball	Altoona, Iowa	Southeast Polk
Emma Grote	Southwest Minnesota State University	Sr.	Softball	Blair, Neb.	Blair
Madison Brinkman	St. Cloud State University	Jr.	Swimming & Diving	Grey Eagle, Minn.	Melrose
Brinn Grunder	Upper Iowa University	Sr.	Track & Field	Durant, Iowa	Durant
Sophia Ketchmark	Wayne State College	Sr.	Soccer	La Vista, Neb.	Omaha Gross
Alison Nowak	Winona State University	Sr.	Softball	New Berlin, Wis.	Eisenhower