CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced today four female and three male finalists for its 2022-23 Johanna Olson and Duane Schroeder Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards. 
 
The finalists for the Johanna Olson A-R-C Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year are former Central College dual sport student-athlete in golf and triathlon Thea Lunning, former Loras College cross country and track & field student-athlete Kassie Parker, former Simpson College volleyball student-athlete Marissa Salber, and former Wartburg College softball student-athlete Sydney Illg. The Duane Schroeder A-R-C Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year finalists are former Central College track and field student-athlete Lucas Heitz, former Nebraska Wesleyan track and field student-athlete Garrett Lenners, and former Wartburg College football student-athlete Sam Reyes. 
 
This year’s Female and Male Scholar-Athlete finalists now go before the full group of nine faculty athletics representatives for review and vote. The 2022-23 winners will be announced Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at www.rollrivers.com at 12:00 p.m. (Noon).
 
A short profile of each nominee follows below. 
 
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 and Conference sports information director Duane Schroeder in May 2002. The women’s award was renamed in December 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 Johanna Olson
The American Rivers Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is named in honor of the late Johanna Olson, a former cross country and track & field student-athlete at Luther College who was the inaugural recipient of the award. Olson battled brain cancer for over 15 years before her fight ended on January 3, 2013 at age 33. She was originally diagnosed with a brain tumor as a college freshman in 1997 but went on to win the 2000 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship three years to the day after her initial brain surgery. In addition to the national title in cross country, she won three Conference Individual Championships and three Conference Most Valuable Runner awards (1999, 2000, 2001). In track and field, she was the 2001 Conference Most Valuable Performer, earning All-America honors in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter runs. Olson was also a member of the 2021 distance medley relay team that captured the indoor national title. She was named the United States Track Coaches Association (USTCA) regional and national Athlete of the Year in both cross country and track & field in 2000-01. In 1999, Olson was presented the Honda Awards Inspirational Athlete of the Year after returning from radiation treatments to compete at the national level. 
 
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. 
 
Previous Scholar-Athletes of the Year

Year	Duane Schroeder Male Scholar-Athlete	Johanna Olson Female Scholar-Athlete	Release
2022-23	Announced Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. (Noon)
2021-22	Blaine Hawkins, Central	Reagan Janzen, Nebraska Wesleyan	Hawkins / Janzen
2020-21	Zach Naatz, Dubuque	Aspen Rolfes, Nebraska Wesleyan	Naatz / Rolfes
2019-20	Andy Vasquez, Nebraska Wesleyan	Audrey Miller, Loras	Vasquez / Miller
2018-19	Will Daniels, Central	Elizabeth Jones, Nebraska Wesleyan	Daniels / Jones
2017-18	Timothy Sevcik, Loras	Anna Strien, Luther	Sevcik / Strien
2016-17	Riley Gray, Central	Lori Obendorf, Loras	Gray / Obendorf
2015-16	Zach Frey, Loras	Kaitlin Phillips, Loras; Clare Slagel, Luther	Frey / Phillips, Slagel
2014-15	Daniel Bonthius, Wartburg	Bailey Wilson, Wartburg	Bonthius / Wilson
2013-14	Kyle Freischlag, Central	Ramey Sieck, Wartburg	Freischlag / Sieck
2012-13	Wyatt Hanus, Dubuque	Shari Huber, Luther	Hanus / Huber
2011-12	Michael Zweifel, Dubuque	Kelsey (Kittleson) Millonig, Luther	Zweifel / Millonig
2010-11	Ryan Schisler, Coe	Jill (Ziskovsky) Halcomb, Central	Schisler / Halcomb
2009-10	Tyler Burkle, Coe	Hannah Baker, Wartburg	Burkle / Baker
2008-09	Alec Bonander, Luther	Kelsey Steffens, Wartburg	Bonander / Steffens
2007-08	Kyle Duchman, Wartburg	Kristy Upah, Coe	Duchman / Upah
2006-07	Adam Bohach, Luther	Abby Erion, Loras	Bohach / Erion
2005-06	Adam Duerfeldt, Central	Katie Pederson, Central	Duerfeldt / Pederson
2004-05	Garrett South, Luther	Amy Ernst, Coe	South / Ernst
2003-04	Brent Showalter, Wartburg	Raegan (Schultz) Wagner, Central	Showalter / Wagner
2002-03	Jesse Harris, Simpson	Jessica Jensen, Buena Vista	Harris / Jensen
2001-02	Dale Biser, Cornell	Brianne Schoonover, Wartburg	Biser / Schoonover
2000-01	Tim Vinyard, Coe	Johanna Olson, Luther	Vinyard / Olson

 
WOMEN’S FINALISTS
 
Thea Lunning - Golf and Triathlon - Central College - Mason City, Iowa
Lunning was a successful dual sport athlete for the Dutch, participating in women’s golf and triathlon. Only competing in the A-R-C two years after transferring for NIACC, an NJCAA school, Lunning made her presence known. She was a two-time all-conference performer, finishing eighth in 2021 and second in 2022. She maintained a competitive stroke average of 80.16 over her two seasons. She was a driving member of the Central women’s golf team who won the A-R-C championship to earn the automatic bid to the 2023 NCAA Division III Women’s Golf Championship. In triathlon, Lunning was a two-time USA Triathlon College Championship participant, earning 28th place in 2021 and 29th place in 2022. 
 
Academically, Lunning graduated from Central with a cumulative 4.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale while majoring in Biology. Lunning earned Academic All-Conference in 2023. She additionally was named a WGCA All-America Scholar (2021-2022, 2022-23) and College Sport Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-American At-Large Third-Team for the 2022-23 academic year. 
 
In the community, Lunning was actively involved. She volunteered for an event for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and for the Central College Service Day. Additionally, she gave back to the Pella Public Library as they were transitioning to an online program. She completed an internship with EyeCare Partners P.C. which now will assist her in excelling at the Southern College of Optometry. 
 
Central College Head Women’s Golf Coach Tabitha Schumacher: “Balancing two sports, school, and a job can be a tricky task, but Thea handled it well. Her golf teammates fully supported her competing in triathlon and even went to watch her in a race. They quickly realized that she was going to give it 100% day after day. Having a player with that kind of drive is contagious, she helped everyone else work just as hard to achieve their goals.”
 
Central College Professor of Biology Paulina Mena, Ph.D.: “Thea has taken full advantage of her experience at Central College, embracing the liberal arts. And although she performs far above average academically, she is also engaged in co-curricular activities. She is a very committed member of the golf and triathlon teams. I am very impressed with Thea’s ability to juggle all her obligations and perform so well in all of them. I believe this is evidence that Thea knows how to manage her time efficiently. Thea is now enrolled in her top choice for optometry school and is excelling.”
 
Thea Lunning: “The life of a student-athlete can be compartmentalized in so many ways. Throughout my senior year at Central College, I gave myself five different categories: academics, athletics, my future career, social life, and self-care. I juggled tough classes, my positions on the women’s golf and triathlon teams, applying to optometry schools, an internship with EyeCare Partners P.C., maintaining the relationships in my life, and fulfilling my basic physiological needs every day. I had clear goals for each of my categories at the beginning of the school year, and although it seemed daunting, I had faith I could do it all. About a month into my senior year, in the midst of my busy schedule and all of the expectations, I realized that I might not actually accomplish everything I had set out to do. This was an exceedingly frightening thought because I have a type A personality and am prone to perfectionistic tendencies which often leave me with paralysis by analysis and a huge fear of failure. This seemingly disastrous combination was actually a blessing because it is where the realization that I have the ability to define myself really came from.
 
Kassie Parker - Cross Country and Track & Field - Loras College - Guttenberg, Iowa
Parker had a career to remember at Loras College as a seven-time national champion and 13 time All-American. She will be remembered not only at Loras and in the A-R-C, but across the entirety of the country. Currently, Parker holds three all-time Division III national records: Indoor 5k (15:58.58), Outdoor 5k (15:37.00), and 10k (32:26.22). Additionally, she holds five school records at Loras. Parker took the NCAA Division III Cross Country Midwest Regional crown three years (2019, 2021, 2022) and took gold at the A-R-C Cross Country Championships twice (2021, 2022). 
 
Academically, Parker graduated from Loras with a cumulative 3.46 GPA on a 4.0 scale while majoring in Kinesiology and Psychology with a minor in Coaching. She was named USTFCCCA All-Academic (2019, 2022, 2023), College Sport Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) All-District (2019, 2021, 2022) and All-American (2022). Additionally, she was named the USTFCCCA National Cross Country Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2021 and 2022, while also earning the similar honor for Indoor Track & Field in 2022. Parker was a Collegiate Women Sports Award Division III Honda Athlete of the Year Finalist two years in a row (2021, 2022). 
 
Outside of running, Parker spent time away for community service on a service trip where she assisted building a concrete slab for kids to play recess on. She additionally was active in SAAC and Loras campus clean up day. 
 
Loras College Academic Success Coordinator Daniel Mulligan: “Kassie has excelled in and out of the classroom… but I wanted to share a few other details that show how highly I think of Kassie and how much I respect her character. My wife and I invited Kassie to eat with our family on a few occasions and then to babysit out sons on another occasion as well. She is someone we completely trust and believe in and is always welcome in our home and to hang out with our family. She’s simply a terrific human being, and I know she’s a great influence on our boys.” 
 
Loras College Associate Professor of Kinesiology Elaina Biechler, Ph.D.: “What a fun six years it was to have Kassie. While I would consider her somewhat quiet and reserved, I would describe her as engaged, organized, and genuinely interested in the learning process. Many of the attributes that have allowed her to be a successful athlete have also allowed her to be successful in the classroom. One of my most memorable recollections of Kassie as a student was when she was completing her Coaching Leadership Capstone project. Kassie took the initiative to create a project she was passionate about, and put the work into making it her own. Kassie collaborated with another local college’s head track coach to create a women’s winter track training program. Their vision included Sunday workouts, guest speakers covering a range of topics, and track meets. Kassie did a fantastic job of organizing the camp, but not without obstacles. When faced with criticism / complaints from some of the parents, Kassie handled the conflict with grace, ease, and professionalism. She was quick to pivot her plan to accommodate the needs of the group. In the coaching seat, she had quickly learned some of the not so fun aspects of working with kids. Like in running, her maturity and patience deemed to be strong qualities of hers that make her so unique and remarkable.”
 
Kassie Parker: “Together, my academics and athletics helped in various aspects during my collegiate career and still currently. I made multiple professional and personal connections with faculty, coaches, and other students. Being on my sports team helped me be more successful in the classroom as it helped me gain more social confidence to work in team settings. Today, I still use these skills and knowledge (academic and athletic) learned throughout my collegiate years.”
 
Marissa Salber - Volleyball - Simpson College - Omaha, Neb.
Salber was a three-year captain for the Storm volleyball team. After being named A-R-C Honorable Mention in 2021, Salber earned First-Team honors in 2022. She currently sits in the all-time top-ten for career assists. In 2021, she helped guide Simpson to their first conference tournament appearance since 2013. 
 
Academically, Salber graduated from Simpson with a cumulative 3.962 GPA on a 4.0 scale while majoring in Management with a minor in Economics, in three and a half years. She earned Academic All-Conference on three occasions (2020, 2021, 2022). Salber was named College Sport Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) First-Team Academic All-District in 2022. She earned the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship in 2023 and is now attending the University of Nebraska - College of Law. 
 
Salber was actively involved with service projects and in the community. She was the junior class senator and senior class president in the Student Government Association. Salber was the voice and team representative for volleyball in SAAC for two years where she assisted in the planning of Simpson’s Trick or Treat event held annually. Additionally, Salber volunteered with the Village Senior Living, Roots Volleyball Academy, Community Companion, Simpson Youth Volleyball Tournaments, and Helping Hand of Warren County. With the Simpson College Campus Day, she served as a planning committee member and facilitated the event while overseeing 800 volunteers. 
 
Simpson College Head Women’s Volleyball Coach Kekailoa Palea: “The unique thing about Marissa is even when you combine all [of her] attributes you have a person who’s willing to take the time to share her knowledge, share her experiences, listen and make you laugh. You can see the impact of that in the friends, teammates, students and faculty she works with. That makes everyone Marissa interacts with better people.”
 
Simpson College Professor of Political Science Kedron Bardwell, Ph.D.: “Marissa’s accolades on the court speak for themselves. She has a relentless positivity and “show me, don’t tell me” ethic. From earning First-Team All-Conference in the A-R-C last year to improving in assists and service aces each year, she had a TEAM focus and did all she could to help move the needle on the SC program. And the players in future years will all benefit from that groundwork she laid with her effort. Lastly, this year she was recognized by the NCAA with a prestigious graduate scholarship to attend law school at the University of Nebraska. This was an ideal bookend to her time as a model student-athlete. We at Simpson are incredibly proud of Marissa. I’m sure she will continue to grow in servant leadership as she enters the legal profession, and I was fortunate to work with her for these three and a half years.”
 
Marissa Salber: “‘That’s always what happens - we always lose.’ That’s what one of the seniors said to me after we lost our first conference game in a close match my freshman year. I guess she was right because we finished 0-8 in the conference. In high school, I was the backup setter on a two-time state championship team in Nebraska’s largest class. I knew Simpson wasn’t the winningest program when I committed…. Now, how was I supposed to know how to turn a college program around when I didn’t even play on my high school team? Like my grandma, I had a unique opportunity to help make the situation for those around me better - but unlike my grandma, I also found a team who supported me and built me up in turn. My role as the team’s setter was to better the ball for my hitters, and my role as a leader was to better the program for my teammates’ future success. With the addition of a high-energy new coach, we found more team success in wins and enhanced team culture every season. Reflecting on my college career, I know I wore 26 with pride; I poured everything I had into the program and bettered the situation in my four seasons. I started not getting playing time on a losing team and finished as a two-time All-Conference setter and team MVP for a program that came together to qualify for back-to-back conference tournaments for the first time in 11 years.”
 
Sydney Illg - Softball - Wartburg College - Grimes, Iowa
Illg was a five-year softball player for the Wartburg College Knights. During her time on the field, Illg garnered numerous Wartburg softball records: career assists, season assists, career stolen bases, career runners scored, and career hit by pitch. She maintained a 0.347 batting average while getting on base 0.446 of the time. She started 147 games as a Knight. Illg recorded a near perfect fielding percentage at 0.945 as a shortstop. The Knights made three NCAA appearances during Illg’s time (2019, 2022, 2023). In 2021, Illg was named NFCA First-Team All-Region after being named Second-Team All-Region in 2019. She earned First-Team All-Conference honors (2019-2022) and then Honorable Mention accolades her final season. 
 
Academically, Illg graduated from Wartburg with a cumulative 3.9 GPA on a 4.0 scale while majoring in Biology with minors in Chemistry, Psychology, and Leadership. Illg earned Academic All-Conference each year while also garnering College Sport Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-District in 2020 and 2023. She was a 2021, 2022, and 2023 NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete. Illg earned the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship in 2023. 
 
Illg was actively involved on the Wartburg campus and in the community. Her community service efforts include serving as a physical therapy intern at Craig Hospital in Denver, Colorado where she completed a 150-hour internship during the summer of 2021. She was active in Waverly, too, where she volunteered at the Waverly Health Center in the emergency department. On campus, Illg was a Wartburg Softball Leadership Council Member, all five years, while also serving as SAAC President during her final year after actively being involved since 2019. Additionally, she was a Dance Marathon Morale Captain. 
 
Wartburg College Head Softball Coach Jamie Mueller: “In team sports, culture and chemistry are significant contributors to team success throughout a long season. Sydney’s leadership skills had a direct impact on our team’s ability to stick together through adversity on and off the field. She had a unique gift of communicating clearly, confidently, and in a manner that inspired those around her. Sydney was able to hold others accountable while permitting them to feel comfortable and safe, which allowed her to effectively manage relationships with her teammates. Additionally, she showed respect to everyone she worked with by listening to their ideas and concerns, which ensured a collaborative work environment and was particularly helpful in challenging situations. Sydney has a grounded confidence and positive perspective that was contagious to her teammates. 
 
Wartburg College Professor of Biology David McCullough, Ph.D.: “Sydney works well independently, but also excels in team situations. I think it is important to note that Sydney has been involved in semester-long projects in biology and has done an excellent job, not only with the research, but with the presentation of results exposed to in the classroom. Sydney has balanced academics with several co-curricular activities including participation in Wartburg’s softball team as both [an] athlete and leader, Dance Marathon, and multiple service activities. During her tenure at Wartburg, I have had the pleasure of observing Sydney’s growth in maturity, empathy and leadership, all important characteristics for anyone pursuing a career in a healthcare profession. As a former collegiate athlete, I am aware of the balance required by student-athletes in order for them to succeed in both the classroom and the playing field. Sydney has succeeded admirably in achieving this balance by becoming a star in both the classroom and in her sport, softball. To me, the above demonstrates her dedication and time management skills which will be essential in both medical school and in her ensuring professional career within the human health care arena. 
 
Sydney Illg: “Playing collegiate softball has afforded me a multitude of opportunities to develop as a leader. Every year, my teammates nominate individuals to comprise our Leadership Huddle and have entrusted me to be a member for the past five years. While in this group, I have learned that leadership is a difficult task that requires integrity and commitment. My leadership, along with the complimenting attributes of other Huddle members, has helped propel my team to record breaking seasons, conference championships, and NCAA tournament berths. These experiences have provided me with memories to last a lifetime, while also allowing me to achieve immense personal growth.” 
 
MEN’S FINALISTS
 
Lucas Heitz - Track & Field - Central College - Adel, Iowa
Heitz was an all-around track & field student-athlete for the Central College Dutch. He had success at the national level in the decathlon (outdoor) and heptathlon (indoor). In the decathlon, he placed 12th at the 2022 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championship while also finishing 16th (2022) and 11th (2023) in the heptathlon at the Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In 2021, he finished with a gold medal at the A-R-C Indoor Championship in the pentathlon. He earned four varsity letters over the course of his career in Pella and was also a team captain during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. 
 
Academically, Heitsz graduated from Central with a cumulative 3.759 GPA on a 4.0 scale while majoring in Engineering with minors in Physics and Mathematics. Heitz earned A-R-C All-Academic three years (2021, 2022, 2023). He earned College Sport Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-District in 2023. On top of that, he was named USTFCCCA All-America in 2021, 2022, and 2023. 
 
Off the track and out of the classroom, Heitz was actively involved at Central and within the Pella community. He was a leadership team member for Fellowship of Christian Athletes and was also inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success. For the majority of his college career he was an active member in SAAC. Heitz served as a camp counselor at Wildwood Hill Ranch Camp. He volunteered his time at the Third Reformed Church (Pella) with the Children's Ministry and with the Middle School Ministry. 
 
Central College Head Track & Field Coach Brandon Sturman, M.S.: “Lucas is one of the most focused and driven athletes we have had over my time here at Central. His ability to balance the rigorous workload of being an engineering major and decathlete, along with his extracurriculars made him stand out amongst his peers. Having only been a hurdler/sprinter in high school he was able to learn a multitude of new events, eventually leading him to become an All-Conference Athlete, All-Midwest Region Athlete, and three-time NCAA Qualifier in the multi events. He accomplished all this while maintaining over a 3.7 GPA which led him to earning A-R-C and USTFCCCA All-Academic honors, as well as being named CSC Academic All-District. On top of being a strong student-athlete, Lucas was a pillar in the community volunteering his time for various organizations from churches to being a camp counselor.”
 
Central College Professor of Mathematics Dr. Mark Mills: “As an engineering major and a multi-events athlete, Lucas was a very busy young man here at Central. He also found time to work on campus and to volunteer in the Pella community. Quite honestly, I am amazed at the number of things that Lucas did while he was here. Despite being busy with his sport and other off-campus activities, Lucas never used any of this as an excuse for not completing his work on time. In fact, when he knew he was going to be absent for an event, he would submit any assignment beforehand and would talk to me about what we would be covering. It is obvious that a key component of Lucas’s academic success here was his careful time management.
 
Lucas Heitz: “One of the biggest takeaways from my college experience though, is the relationships that I built along the way. Between the classroom, school activities, and track, I found five of my seven groomsmen for my wedding (the other two were my brothers) [at Central]. This is what I was looking for at a smaller school like Central - a place where I would go and not become a number. I feel like I could have received this even if I had not been an athlete at Central, but by doing so, I basically doubled my network of friends and other meaningful relationships. 
 
Garrett Lenners - Track & Field - Nebraska Wesleyan University - Adams, Neb.
Lenners had a successful career at Nebraska Wesleyan as a six-time All-American. He earned All-American status at the 2023 Outdoor NCAA Championship (800 - 3rd; 4x400 - 7th), the 2023 Indoor NCAA Championship (800 - 4th; 4x400 - 5th), the 2022 Outdoor NCAA Championship (800 - 4th), and at the 2022 Indoor NCAA Championship (800 - 5th). He additionally was a national qualifier for the 2021 Indoor NCAA Championship for the 4x400 relay team. He was named A-R-C All-Conference on nine occasions and currently holds five Nebraska Wesleyan school records. 
 
Academically, Lenners graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan with a cumulative 3.76 GPA on a 4.0 scale while majoring in Biology. Lenners picked up A-R-C All-Academic Team honors on three occasions (2021, 2022, 2023). He was additionally named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team in 2022 and 2023. Lenners earned the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship in 2023. 
 
In the community, Lenners was actively involved in a variety of service projects and volunteer efforts. He volunteered with Tabitha Meals on Wheels where he delivered meals to individuals with disabilities and economically disadvantaged individuals. Showing an interest in the medical field, Lenners spent time as an EMT Ambulance Operator at Midwest Medical. Additionally, he volunteered as a first aid responder during the 2019 Bike MS Nebraska Event. He was active in Fellowship of Christian Athletes and SAAC. 
 
Nebraska Wesleyan University Retired Director of Track & Field / Cross Country Ted Bulling: “During my career, I have been blessed to work with many outstanding scholar-athletes who have achieved academically and athletically at very high levels. I can say however that Garrett Lenners has combined leadership skills, academic success and athletic prowess in a way that puts him at the very top of that list.”
 
Nebraska Wesleyan University Associate Professor of Biology Cindy Marolf, EdD: “Garrett is an excellent student academically and did very well in my course. He has strong critical thinking and communication skills. In addition to his academics, Garrett was very active on campus as part of the track team, as a member of his fraternity, Student Affairs Senate, Pre-Health club, and other activities at NWU. This demonstrates his commitment and time management skills with these activities requiring a great deal of time and organizational skills. Garrett works well with members of a small group. I observed his skills in working with others in my histology course. He was an active leader in both lecture and lab. Knowing his academic and personal skills, I asked him to be a teaching assistant for my Human A&P labs. I could always count on Garrett to know what needed to be done and to help students highly effectively in the lab as they worked through activities and had questions about the material.”
 
Garrett Lenners: “The camaraderie I built with my teammates is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. For four years, I practiced alongside some of the most astounding men and women I have ever met, my 800 meter teammates specifically were the ones that I created my most fond memories with. Our practices included early morning runs after blizzards, track workouts in the hot sun, and hundreds of miles run each season. Nonetheless, it was this suffering that brought us closer and molded us into better versions of ourselves. Through all the awards, records, and accolades I earned during my track career, none are more important to me than the friendships I made. It is this camaraderie which has made the greatest impact on my life.”
 
Sam Reyes - Football - Wartburg College - Eldridge, Iowa
Reyes was a three-year starting offensive lineman for the Wartburg College Knights football program (2019, 2021, 2022) throughout his five year career. Reyes was a member of the 2022 team who continued to push their season one week longer all the way to the national semifinals in the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs. As a two year captain, Reyes earned First-Team All-Conference honors in 2022 as well as Third-Team All-Region honors. 
 
Academically, Reyes graduated from Wartburg with a cumulative 3.87 GPA on a 4.0 scale while majoring in Biochemistry. Reyes earned A-R-C Academic All-Conference during 2019-2022, while also picking up First-Team Academic All-District honors in 2022. On top of that, was named College Sport Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Second-Team Academic All-American in 2022 for his efforts in the classroom. 
 
In the community, Reyes was actively involved. He was involved with two research experiences while at Wartburg: Summer Research Assistant at Wartburg and was apart of the Biomedical Scholars Summer Undergraduate Research Program at the University of Iowa. On campus, Reyes was active in the Tri-Beta Biology Honor Society and Wartburg’s Dance Marathon. As a member of Wartburg’s Dance Marathon team, he served three years as a morale captain while leading charge for fundraising money for the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Reyes also has spent hours volunteering at Trinkets & Togs, a thrift store, and at the Waverly Health Center. 
 
Wartburg College Head Football Coach Chris Winter: “Sam was one of the most prepared players I have ever coached. He would always take notes during position meetings, spend hours each week watching film of our opponents on his own, and competed during practice like it was game day. Everything he did in his preparation was executed with a high level of detail. Sam came to practice every day with a great attitude and gave maximum effort on every repetition. He was the leader of our offensive line group. He had an infectious energy that he would bring to practice every day, which really allowed him to get the most out of his ability and raised the performance level of his teammates at the same time. These are the qualities that allowed Sam to have so much success on the playing field.”
 
Wartburg College Professor of Biochemistry Dr. Shawn Ellerbroeck: “By performance, Sam is within the top 10% of my past biochemistry students (19 years, ~710 students). In terms of sheer academic potential and intellect, I can think of just five or six students who are even in his league. I found his test answers brilliant, if sometimes a bit unorganized. It was as if he had all this mental activity and insight but struggled to translate it on to paper. I was incredibly glad to see that Sam improved; by the end of the second semester Sam’s propensity to shotgun his responses gave way to coherence of logic and measured delivery of thought. I was not at all surprised by Sam’s MCAT score, which was in the 96th percentile nationally. It is a fair reflection of his significant potential and in accord with his profound understanding of the biochemistry material across both semesters.”
 
Sam Reyes: “Overcoming challenges was a huge part of football. Not every play or every game goes as planned and there are many ups [and] downs in athletics and it is a challenge to respond to and find ways to overcome challenges. We talked a lot about overcoming adversity in football and this mentality and way of thinking helped me in academics many times. When exams did not go as well, I was trained to find ways to respond, how could I do better, rather than blame other factors and not hold myself accountable. This helped me figure out effective ways to study and learn. Research was another opportunity for adversity - experiments would not work, and we had to learn to respond to challenges and find ways to overcome and fix our mistakes or find a new way to approach a problem. Taking accountability for mistakes and overcoming challenges was one of the biggest things I was able to take away from athletic participation.”