DULUTH, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Duluth Athletics Department held the inaugural Bulldog Awards last Thursday night in the Marshall Performing Arts Center on campus.
 
For the first time all UMD student-athletes were able to partake in the end of the year program to celebrate the accomplishments in the Classroom, in Competition and in the Community over the academic year. The ESPY-like show format featured a student-athlete Red Carpet Hour, which included interviews, a 360 picture stations and the UMD Pep Band.
 
In total 26 awards were handed out in 24 categories. UMD Communication Instructor Trista Vucetich Anderson served as emcee for the evening.
 
COMPETITION
Women's Basketball was the big winners on the night as the team took home the Team of the Year award, as well as, the Outstanding Moment of the Year for its late rally to win the NCAA Central Region Championship over Missouri Southern State University.
 
Additionally, women's basketball senior and National Player of the Year Brooke Olson took home awards for Outstanding Senior Female Athlete, Female Athlete of the Year and Female Performance of the Year with her 43-point game vs. Minnesota State University in the NCAA Central Region semifinals. Teammate Ella Gilbertson earned the Female Breakthrough Athlete of the Year award.
 
Like Olson, football All-American offensive lineman and recent National Football League (NFL) signee Brent Laing took home the Male Athlete of the Year and the Outstanding Male Senior Athlete awards.
 
Men's Hockey's Ben Steeves received a couple of awards. Steeves was named the Male Newcomer of the Year and received the Male Performance of the Year for his natural hat trick against No. 1-ranked St. Cloud State University. Steeves' teammates Will Francis and Zach Stejskal received the Maroon and Gold Award for perseverance after returning to the ice this past season following their cancer diagnosis and treatment.
 
Women's Cross Country/Track & Field's Cailee Peterson was recipient of the Female Newcomer of the Year award, while Men's Cross Country/Track & Field's Owen Dickenson was the Male Breakthrough Athlete of the Year.
 
Men's Basketball's Isaiah Watts received the Teammate of the Year award.
 
CLASSROOM
Women's Basketball's Maesyn Thiesen received the E.L. "Duce" Rasmussen Female Scholar-Athlete award, while Men's Hockey's Tanner Laderoute was named the E.L. "Duce" Rasmussen Male Scholar Athlete award recipient.
 
The Volleyball team earned the Chancellor's Cup Award given out to the team with the highest grade-point-average over the last two semesters. Volleyball finished with a 3.677 GPA, edging the Women's Cross Country team at 3.670 and the Tennis team at 3.64. The Men's Hockey team had the highest team GPA among the male teams at 3.43.
 
Lauretta Perry, a Drug and Alcohol Educator within UMD Health Services, received the Most Influential or Supportive Academic Community Member award which is given to a UMD faculty or staff member who has been influential or supportive of Bulldog Athletics.
 
COMMUNITY
The Shjon Podein Award for commitment to community was awarded to both Women's Hockey's Gabbie Hughes and Men's Basketball's Joshua Brown. Hughes was UMD's first Hockey Humanitarian Award winner for her work with Sophie's Squad promoting mental health awareness. Brown was a leader in forming the UMD Department of Athletics Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council and served as the group's first president.
 
The Tennis team earned the Team Impact Award for the highest average hours of community service. The team averaged 12 hours of service to the community volunteering at a variety of places such as Kindred Hospice, American Red Cross, Kids Ministry, and many other community and campus events.
 
Lt. Col. Lila Stevens was the recipient of the Marsh Nelson Bulldog Award that recognizes leadership and support of Bulldog Athletics in the community. Denise Olson was the Bruce Bennett Award recipient which is awarded to an individual who shows exceptional service and commitment to furthering the UMD Athletics mission.
 
The Black Woods Group received the Cornerstone Award which is presented to a business leader or business for their support of UMD Athletics. Photographer Terry Norton was named the Fan of the Year. Her photos from the evening are featured in the gallery below.

 

REWATCH THE 2023 BULLDOG AWARDS

PHOTO GALLERY

 

Chancellor's Cup (Top Team GPA): Volleyball	Team Impact Award (Highest Avg. Hours of Community Service): Tennis
Female Newcomer of the Year: Cailee Peterson (Cross Country/Track & Field)	Male Newcomer of the Year: Ben Steeves (Hockey)
Female Performance of the Year:  Brooke Olson (Basketball) 43 points in the NCAA Central Region Semifinals	Male Performance of the Year:  Ben Steeves (Hockey) Hat Trick vs. #1 St. Cloud State
Bruce Bennett Service Award:  Denise Olson	Marsh Nelson Bulldog Award:  Lt. Col. Lila Stevens
Female Breakthrough Athlete of the Year: Ella Gilbertson (Basketball)	Male Breakthrough Athlete of the Year: Owen Dickenson (Cross Country/Track & Field)
Shjon Podein Award (Commitment to Community): Gabbie Hughes (Women's Hockey) Joshua Brown (Men's Basketball)	Fan of the Year:  Terry Norton
Cornerstone Award: Black Woods Group	Maroon & Gold Award (Perseverance): Will Francis (Hockey) Zach Stejskal (Hockey)
Female Athlete of the Year:  Brooke Olson (Basketball)	Male Athlete of the Year:  Brent Laing (Football)
Outstanding Moment of the Year:  Women's Basketball NCAA Central Region Championship	Most Influential or Supportive Academic Community Member: Lauretta Perry
E.L. "Duce" Rasmussen Female Scholar-Athlete:  Maesyn Thiesen (Basketball)	E.L. "Duce" Rasmussen Male Scholar-Athlete:  Tanner Laderoute (Hockey)
Outstanding Female Senior Athlete of the Year:  Brooke Olson (Basketball)	Outstanding Male Senior Athlete of the Year:  Brent Laing (Football)
Teammate of the Year:  Isaiah Watts (Men's Basketball)	Team of the Year:  Women's Basketball