UMD Athletics

As much as the University of Minnesota Duluth has accomplished on the field of play since the inception of intercollegiate athletics on campus over eight decades ago, it has also maintained an equally strong and proud tradition of academically preparing its student-athletes. And, it has the numbers to prove it.

Case in point: Since 1987-88, nearly 94 percent of those student-athletes who participated in a varsity sport for at least four years have graduated.

Some academic highlights from 2021-22 school year include:

CLASSROOM

• A total of 180 different UMD student-athletes qualified for a spot on the NSIC All-Academic Team (60 in the fall, 53 in the winter and 67 in the spring) at some point in 2021-22. In addition, a whopping 17 Bulldog men earned NCHC Academic All-Conference honors, while nine (Ben Almquist (two times), Ryan Fanti (two times), Tanner Laderoute (four times), Matt Andersone, Koby Bender, Blake Biondi, Jarrett Lee, Kobe Roth and Luke Loheit (three times) received NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete recognition. 
• 14 UMD women's hockey players were named WCHA Scholar Athletes, including senior Anna Klein, who became the first player in program history to earn the honor four times.  To be eligible, student athletes have to have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and be at least a sophomore. UMD also landed 17 players on the 2021-22 WCHA All-Academic Team, composed of student-athletes who have completed one year of eligibility at their present institution, prior to the current academic year and have a GPA of at least 3.0 for the previous two semesters or three quarters. 
• A record-tying 14 University of Minnesota Duluth seniors - Amanda Conkel (Women's Soccer), Cole Fechner (Men's Track and Field / Cross Country), Sarah Grow (Women's Basketball), Jonathan Jensen (Football), Arik Johnson (Football), Sydney Lanoue (Volleyball), Dan Monson (Football), Julia Osborne (Women's Soccer), Emily Rahrick (Women's Tennis), Lauren Singstock (Women's Soccer), Maesyn Thiesen (Women's Basketball), Isabel Thiner (Women's Tennis), Jordyn Thomas (Softball), Becca Osborne (Women's Soccer) - representing seven sports, have earned a NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award for 2021-22. The honor, named for the late NCAA President Dr. Myles Brand, is bestowed upon NSIC student-athletes who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher and are on track to graduate after the season.
• Overall, UMD's nearly 400 student-athletes -- which includes redshirt freshmen -- collectively posted a GPA of 3.30 this past year. The women's volleyball team registered the best overall team GPA at a 3.76 semester, while the runner-up of the UMD women's cross country team averaged a GPA of 3.75. The top men's program was the men's cross country team with a 3.40 semester GPA.  
• Shannon King (women's soccer) and Dan Monson (football) were named the 2021-22 E.L. "Duce" Rasmussen award winners for top scholar athletes. King, a multi-year winner of NSIC's All-Academic team and Academic Team of Excellence, was also awarded the ADA Academic Achievement Award and is a Myles Brand Award recipient. She is the Maguire Award winner for Outstanding Performance as a Biochemistry Major, and won the Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Award. She is an avid volunteer, including the Aftenro Senior Living facility, Salvation Army Adopt a Family, a Youth soccer coach, and a tutor for elementary and middle school. Monson is also a multi-year winner of the All-NSIC Academic Team of Excellence as well as a multi-year winner of First Team All-NSIC. He is a two-time COSIDA All-American and NFF Hampshire Honor Society academic honoree. He has been a volunteer with Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute at their mono ski camp and archery camp.

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UMD'S CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS

*Academic All-American of the Year