GRAND FORKS, N.D. – With the 2024-25 athletic season winding down, North Dakota Athletics announced the finalists for the annual Night of Champions awards ceremony set for Wednesday, April 30 beginning at 6:00 p.m. from the historic Empire Arts Center in downtown Grand Forks.
Multiple student-athletes and teams are set to be honored for their work in the classroom, in our community and on the playing surface in front of their peers, coaching staffs, administrators and special guests in an event that annually recognizes the best of UND Athletics.
Nominations for each award were submitted by each team's head coach, with help from their athletic communications contact, while the winners were voted upon by head coaches, athletics support staff and members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Each award finalists are listed below.
Winners will be announced tonight at the awards banquet and live on social media @UNDsports, as well as released on Thursday on FightingHawks.com.
Female Scholar Team of the Year:
Presented to the female team with the highest cumulative grade point average over the past calendar year
• Women's Cross Country
• Women's Golf
• Women's Track And Field
Male Scholar Team of the Year:
Presented to the male team with the highest cumulative grade point average over the past calendar year
• Men's Cross Country
• Men's Golf
• Men's Tennis
Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year:
Presented to a female student-athlete who displayed great distinction in both the classroom and in competition
• Nore Heinitz, Senior, Women's Tennis
• Jadyn Keeler, Junior, Women's Track and Field
• Katelyn Neumayer, Junior, Softball
• Katy Riviere, Junior, Volleyball
• Avery Tomes, Junior, Soccer
• Miranda Vanderwal, Junior, Women's Basketball
• Emersyn Walker, Junior, Women's Golf
Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year:
Presented to a male student-athlete who displayed great distinction in both the classroom and in competition
• Ben Buxa, Red-Shirt Freshman, Football
• Louis Jamernik V, Fifth Year, Hockey
• Kevin Koua, Senior, Men's Tennis
• Erik Stoxen, Senior, Men's Golf
Spirit Squad Scholar Athlete:
Presented to a spirit squad member who displayed great distinction in both the classroom and in competition
• Roxy Manson, Cheer
• Renee Temple, Cheer
• Kayln Voightman, Dance
Female Team Community Service Award:
Presented to the female team with the highest team impact score
• Women's Golf
• Softball
• Women's Track And Field
Male Team Community Service Award:
Presented to the male team with the highest team impact score
• Men's Basketball
• Football
• Men's Track And Field
Female Individual Community Service Award:
Presented to a female student-athlete for outstanding community service efforts, based on total hours
• Lily Bredemeier, Senior, Women's Golf
• Riley Crothers, Senior, Women's Golf
• Kalai Hamlin, Senior, Women's Golf
• Annika Jyrkas, Freshman, Women's Golf
• Emersyn Walker, Junior, Women's Golf
Male Individual Community Service Award:
Presented to a male student-athlete for outstanding community service efforts, based on total hours
• Federico Fiorda, Fifth Year, Men's Tennis
• Hudson Flom, Redshirt-Freshman, Football
• Brian Mathews, Senior, Men's Basketball
• Erik Stoxen, Senior, Men's Golf
• Henry Theobald, Freshman, Football
Spirit Squad Individual Community Service Award:
Presented to a spirit squad member for outstanding community service efforts, based on total hours
• Kiara Lloyd, Cheer
• Paige Koopmeiners, Hockey Cheer
• Kayln Voightman, Dance
UND Leads Cup:
Awarded to the team that earns the most points in the following areas: team semester GPA over the last calendar year, community service team impact scores and leadership/involvement opportunities
• Women's Basketball
• Women's Golf
• Women's Track and Field/Cross Country
Female UNDproud Award:
Recognize the student athletes who showed great school spirit by supporting their fellow student athletes at various home competitions. The winners of this award tallied the most check-ins throughout the academic year.
• Jackie Albrecht, Softball
• Jackie Dudus, Women's Track and Field/Cross Country
• Eucabeth Kivikangas, Women's Track and Field
• Avery Toms, Soccer
Male UNDproud Award:
Recognize the student athletes who showed great school spirit by supporting their fellow student athletes at various home competitions. The winners of this award tallied the most check-ins throughout the academic year.
• Kevin Koua, Men's Tennis
• Ethan Terry, Men's Tennis
• Eric Weiss, Men's Track and Field/Cross Country
Spirit Award:
Given to one spirit squad member who best represents and exudes their pride for UND through community/campus involvement, academic excellence and dedication to their team
• Roxy Manson, Cheer
• Maddy Bregier, Dance
• Abby Porter, Hockey Cheer
Female Unsung Hero Award:
Presented to the female student-athlete who made significant contributions to their teams, yet did so without receiving the accolades or spotlight
• Makaela Carr, Senior, Softball
• Alyssa Giupponi, Freshman, Women's Tennis
• Fatima Ibrahim, Sophomore, Women's Basketball
• Erin Johnson, Senior, Women's Golf
• Eucabeth Kivikangas, Junior, Track And Field
• Alisha Maake, Senior, Soccer
• Izzie Mccormick, Junior, Volleyball
Male Unsung Hero Award:
Presented to the male student-athlete who made significant contributions to their teams, yet did so without receiving the accolades or spotlight
• Dylan James, Junior, Hockey
• Amar Kuljuhovic, Senior, Men's Basketball
• Simon Romfo, Junior, Football
• Ethan Terry, Sophomore, Men's Tennis
• Jory Vasek, Senior, Track And Field
Play of the Year:
Awarded to the student-athlete who provides the best highlight moment of the season
• Dylan James, Hockey
• Katie Joten, Softball
• Amelia Loeffler, Soccer
• Mambourou Mara, Men's Basketball
• Simon Romfo, Football
• Volleyball Team
Best Individual Performance:
Given to the student-athlete that provided the best individual performance during the season
• Bo Belquist, Football
• Treysen Eaglestaff, Men's Basketball
• Nore Heinitz, Women's Tennis
• Jadyn Keeler, Women's Track and Field
• Ethan Terry, Men's Tennis
• Kylie Warner, Women's Golf
Female Newcomer of the Year:
Awarded to a female freshman, redshirt freshman or first-year transfer student-athlete who made an immediate contribution to the success of their team
• Tehya Armstrong, Freshman, Softball
• Nadia Evans, Redshirt-Freshman, Women's Track And Field
• Vanessa Imoh, Freshman, Volleyball
• Ethel Li, Junior, Women's Tennis
• Grace Miller, Freshman, Soccer
• Jocie Schiller, Freshman, Women's Basketball
Male Newcomer of the Year:
Awarded to a male freshman, redshirt freshman or first-year transfer student-athlete who made an immediate contribution to the success of their team
• Leo Galliano, Freshman, Men's Tennis
• Mier Panoam, Sophomore, Men's Basketball
• Sawyer Seidl, Redshirt-Freshman, Football
• T.J. Semptimphelter, Graduate Student, Hockey
• Shane Zieden, Freshman, Men's Track And Field
Grace Rhonemus Female Athlete of the Year:
Presented to the top female student-athlete of the year
• Kenna Curry, Senior, Women's Track And Field
• Katie Joten, Graduate Student, Softball
• Kiera Pemberton, Sophomore, Women's Basketball
• Jarolin De Los Santos Lugo, Senior, Volleyball
Glenn "Red" Jarrett Male Athlete of the Year:
Presented to the top male student-athlete of the year
• Bo Belquist, Senior, Football
• Treysen Eaglestaff, Junior, Men's Basketball
• Jake Livanavage, Sophomore, Hockey
• Ethan Thomas, Freshman, Men's Track And Field
• Leandro Zgraggen, Senior, Men's Tennis
