SEWARD, Neb. – Seven members of the Concordia University women’s soccer program have been named 2015 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes, as announced by the NAIA on Friday. Among this year’s honorees, seniors Madison Hawkins, Elyse Muhle and Jaimi Stelk are two-time scholar-athletes. First-year scholar-athletes include senior Katrina Muther and juniors Megan Brunssen, Leah Hoffman and Kristin Manley.
Head coach Greg Henson’s Bulldogs led all NAIA women’s soccer programs in scholar-athletes in 2013. That same squad received the NSCAA Team Academic Award from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America by posting a combined team GPA of 3.75 – highest among all women’s soccer programs nationally (NAIA and all NCAA divisions). Concordia has now led all GPAC women’s soccer programs in scholar-athletes each season under Henson, who completed his third year in 2015.
In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved a junior academic status. A total of 588 women’s soccer student-athletes across the nation were named scholar-athletes by the NAIA.
Concordia University ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 1,234 and counting. The 2014-15 season culminated with GPAC-leading totals of 94 Bulldog scholar-athletes and 17 NAIA Scholar-Teams. During the 2013-14 academic year, Concordia garnered 101 Scholar-Athlete honorees (most in the NAIA) and 17 NAIA Scholar-Teams (tied for fourth nationally).
Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university located in Seward, Neb., that currently serves over 2,300 students. Concordia offers more than 50 professional and liberal arts programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership in the church and world.
2015 women’s soccer Scholar-Athletes
Megan Brunssen | Jr. | Omaha, Neb.
Madison Hawkins | Sr. | Omaha, Neb.
Leah Hoffman | Jr. | North Aurora, Ill.
Kristin Manley | Jr. | Omaha, Neb.
Elyse Muhle | Sr. | Richland, Neb.
Katrina Muther | Sr. | Rockford, Ill.
Jaimi Stelk | Sr. | Grand Island, Neb.