CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced today that former Nebraska Wesleyan University cross country and track & field athlete
Andy Vasquez (Omaha, Neb./Omaha Burke) has been named the A-R-C Duane Schroeder Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the 2019-20 academic year, in the 20th year of the award. The award, the highest individual honor from the conference, goes to an alumnus from the previous academic year.
A three-sport athlete at Nebraska Wesleyan, Andy Vasquez became the first ever NWU student-athlete to compete in Cross Country, Swimming, and Track & Field. In 2018, Vasquez finished the Cross Country season as an All-American after finishing 19th at the NCAA Division III Championships, while being a three-time nationals qualifier in his career. He was also a three-time A-R-C All-Conference finisher in cross country (2016-2019). Vasquez earned four letters in each of the three sports he competed in, ending a terrific athletic career at Nebraska Wesleyan.
Vasquez graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University with a 3.98 GPA earning a degree in Accounting. In 2019, he was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American. The Omaha native was also a four-time Academic All-Conference honoree in each of the three sports he competed in, while also earning NCAA Academic All-Region recognition in Cross Country from 2016-2019. Vasquez earned the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship for the 2019-20 Fall Season.
Since 2016, Vasquez has served as a volunteer Liturgist at Mary Our Queen Catholic Church, while also serving as the Lector and Altar Server in 2018. During the 2018-19 academic year, he served at St. Thomas Aquinas Church as the RCIA Sponsor of Adults Converting to the Catholic Faith. Also in 2018, Vasquez served as an English teaching assistant at Southeast Community College. The Omaha native also served with Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation helping mentor incoming minority college students.
"After a year of turmoil like we've never seen, our Scholar-Athletes of the Year process added a welcome sense of normalcy," said A-R-C Commissioner
Chuck Yrigoyen. "The process always produces young men and women whose accomplishments are anything but normal. I would like to thank the faculty athletics representatives and athletics staff members for their work in identifying this year's impressive class of nominees. Andy Vasquez was an incredibly accomplished athlete who had a nearly perfect grade-point average. He made a mark in cross country at both the conference and national levels. Andy's faith clearly motivated what he accomplished away from sports as he sought to help his fellow human being."
Vasquez is the first Nebraska Wesleyan male athlete to be named Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and the second Prairie Wolf to earn the honor, behind
Elizabeth Jones who won the 2018-19 Johanna Olson award. He is currently pursuing his Master's in Business Administration from Creighton University, while working full-time at the Federal Reserve Bank.
What They Say About Vasquez
Assistant Professor of Accounting, Jeanette Milius, Ph.D.: "In Andy I saw the necessary qualities to be not only an exceptional accountant, but also a great team member and leader within the organization that is so fortunate to choose him for their employee."
Assistant Professor of Accounting, Chris Swift: "What set [Andy] apart is not simply his intellectual ability, which is immense, but his desire to strive to be the best. His expectations are high and he demands a great deal from himself."
Former NWU Head Men's and Women's Swimming Coach, Greg Fleming: "Andy was a great mentor to younger swimmers that joined the programand is still in contact with whom he trained with and are still swimming at NWU."
Also nominated for the 2019-20 A-R-C Duane Schroeder Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award were Central football player
Jon Alberts, Coe wrestler
Taylor Mehmen, and Wartburg football player
Kolin Schulte.
The Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year is selected from among the finalists by a vote of the A-R-C Faculty Representatives (FAR).
About the Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards
The American Rivers Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards were first presented in December 2001 for the 2000-01 academic year. To be eligible for nomination, a student-athlete shall have graduated or exhausted their athletic eligibility during the academic year for which the award is given. The nominee must have demonstrated a high level of accomplishment and achievement in a varsity sport, have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale), and show evidence of scholarly achievements, community service involvement and leadership. Both awards were named originally for former Wartburg College and Conference sports information director Duane Schroeder in May 2002. The women’s award was renamed in 2013 for former Luther College student-athlete Johanna Olson - the inaugural winner of the women’s award - who lost a courageous battle with cancer in January 2013.
About Duane Schroeder
The American Rivers Conference Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award is named in honor of the late Duane Schroeder, former sports information director (SID) at Wartburg College. Schroeder served as Wartburg’s SID for 43 years until his retirement in 2000. Upon his retirement from his sports information duties, he was named SID Emeritus and served as Wartburg’s News Director until 2001. During much of his four decades at Wartburg, Schroeder served as the Conference’s information director and secretary/treasurer.
