Mustangs well-represented on league post-season merits

In the wake of one of the most successful conference championship events for Morningside University men's and women's swimming, head coach Bryan Farris' teams were honored by the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference late last week with Scholar-Athlete academic and Champion of Character accolades.

As part of the 2022 KCAC Championships held at Dillion Family Aquatic Center in Fremont, Neb., senior James Spicer (Rock Springs, Wy.) and senior Haylie Folsom (Atchison, Ks.) were tabbed conference Champions of Character for Morningside. The pair each reached medals and were honored before Thursday, Feb. 3, competition.

The following student-athletes were tabbed KCAC Scholar-Athletes for the winter section of 2021-22 –

Women: Mackenzie Campbell, so., Guthrie Center, Iowa; Josie Dike, so., Riverton, Wy.; Folsom; Grace Holzerland, so., Sioux City, Iowa; Natalie Hunt, so., Pinedale, Wy.; Megan Keller, so., Omaha, Neb.; Makenna Laher, jr., Omaha, Neb.; Emma Larsen, jr., Kelseyville, Calif.; Sydney Lueth, so., Kansasville, Wis.; and Payton Miller, so., Rock Springs, Wy.

Men: J.R. Albers, jr., Gillette, Wy.; Joe Ciriaco, so., Papillion, Neb.; Gage Dewsbury, sr., Boise, Idaho; Kyle Gundersen, sr., Gilbert, Ariz.; Matthew Hanner, jr., Guthrie Center, Iowa; Trey Kennedy, so., Colorado Springs, Colo.; Willy Pinnow, so., Elkhorn, Wis.; and Spicer.

The All-KCAC Scholar-Athlete Academic Award recognizes excellence in the classroom by KCAC member student-athletes who are sophomores or above in academic standing at the beginning of the semester in which they compete; carry a minimum 3.250 cumulative grade-point average at the beginning of the semester in which they compete, and student-athletes must appear on the eligibility certificate for the sport and have attended one full year at the KCAC institution to be eligible. Barnes and Noble College sponsor the award.

Morningside's men's contingent was tied for the most award recipients along with the Olivet Nazarene University of Illinois. The women's group was the second-largest, trailing only ONU.