UMC Student-Athletes Earn NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction

BURNSVILLE, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston had nine student-athletes recognized as recipients of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award as announced the NSIC Commissioner Erin Lind.

The baseball team was the most recognized sport for UMC with Jesse Jennings (Sr., OF, Robbinsdale, Minn./Criminal Justice), Travis Magdzas (Sr., DH, Duluth, Minn./Criminal Justice) and Richie Navratil (Sr., P, Blansko, Czech Republic/Management) receiving the award. Women’s basketball had two student-athletes honored with Kenzie Church (Sr., F, Fairmount, N.D./Management) and Ashley Martell (Sr., G, Somerset, Wis./Health Science) earning the award. Soccer player Cayla Bendel (Sr., Lakeville, Minn./Natural Resources), men’s golfer Matt Bjorgo (Sr., Crookston, Minn./Natural Resources), football player Matt Borowicz (Sr., Stephen, Minn./Health Science) and volleyball player Brittany Looker (Sr., Rochester, Minn./Health Science) received the honor.

The Golden Eagles nine student-athletes were up from four last year. UMC had the fourth-most student-athletes along with Upper Iowa University, behind only Winona State University, University of Sioux Falls and Minnesota State University, Mankato.

The honor, named for the late NCAA President Dr. Myles Brand, is bestowed to senior NSIC student-athletes who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher, are exhausting their eligibility and are on track to graduate. Each student-athlete will be recognized by the NSIC with a certificate of achievement and a wrist watch. Furthermore, each institution is highly encouraged to have these student-athletes be publicly recognized at a home athletic event. A total of 111 student-athletes from the NSIC’s 16 institutions will receive the award in its sixth year.