CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced today the three female finalists and three male finalists for the 2023-24 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 Coe College softball student-athlete Heather Bockenstedt, former Nebraska Wesleyan University track & field student-athlete Bella Hogue, and former Wartburg College track & field and cross country student-athlete Aubrie Fisher. 
 
The Duane Schroeder A-R-C Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year finalists are former Coe College men’s basketball student-athlete Cael Schmitt, former Simpson College track & field student-athlete Max Cleveland, and former Wartburg College football student-athlete Owen Grover. 
 
The finalists were narrowed down by the Scholar-Athlete Recommendation Committee, comprised of three Faculty Athletic Representatives and three Athletic Communication Directors. The Male and Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year will now go before the full group of faculty athletic representatives for review and vote. 
 
The 2023-24 Scholar-Athletes of the Year will be announced on January 8, 2025 at www.rollrivers.com at 12:00p.
 
About 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 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 2001 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 and field in 2000-01. In 1991, 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. 
   
2023-24 Women’s Finalists:
Heather Boeckenstedt, Coe College
Boeckenstedt had a storied athletic career for the Kohawks with her name appearing in the record book on 38 occasions. She is an All-American and earned MVP honors at the 2024 NCAA Division III Softball Greencastle Regional. 
 
In the classroom, the nursing major held a cumulative GPA of 3.784 during her time at Coe College. She was named to the A-R-C All-Academic Team three times and College Sport Communicators (CSC) All-District in 2023. She earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Scholar-Athlete accolades in 2022 and 2024. For her final nursing project, Boeckenstedt incorporated a new medical device, CardioMEMS HF System, into a healthcare system in the Cedar Rapids community. 
 
In leadership and community service roles, she completed 360 hours of one-on-one nursing experience during an internship on the cardiac-stroke unit at Mercy Medical Center. She completed around 450 hours of nursing clinicals and preceptorships at local hospitals including the rehabilitation unit at Mercy Medical Center, the oncology, surgical, and urology unit at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and critical care float pool and the intensive care unit at St. Luke’s Hospital. 
 
Jake Koolbeck, Coe College Head Softball Coach: “Heather’s growth as a person and player took off to new heights her senior season as she led our team to the Women’s College World Series. Her voice grew along with her drive to succeed. She became one of the best leadoff hitters in the country using her speed and intelligence to pick on defenses. She knew her role and embraced it… Heather was a student of the game and in the classroom. She excelled in both areas and left Coe as a teacher of the game.”
 
Bella Hogue, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Hogue is a three-time national champion and an eight-time All-American. She holds six Nebraska Wesleyan track & field records and two A-R-C championship records for her successful career. 
 
In the classroom, the communication studies major and marketing minor held a cumulative grade point average of 4.0. In 2022, Hogue was the NCAA Division III Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete National Scholar Track Athlete of the Year. She graduated in 2024 earning Highest Distinction, and was one of only nine students from her graduating class to earn this honor. She was named to the College Sport Communicators (CSC) Academic All-American First-Team in 2023 and 2024. She is a six-time Nebraska Wesleyan Dean's List honoree. 
 
In leadership and community service roles, Hogue served as an academic tutor for the Karen Society. She was a prospective student leader for NWU track and field and was a transfer student representative for three years. She volunteered at the Nebraska Wesleyan high school track meets and had the privilege to speak at the Black and Gold Donor Event in 2023. 
 
Derrick McKenzie, Nebraska Wesleyan University Director of Cross Country and Track & Field: “More than her athletic and academic prowess, Hogue is one of the best leaders I have ever worked with. Her empathy for others, communication skills and attention to simply doing the right thing, make her a model student-athlete. Hogue’s leadership is evident in all that she does. She set the tone at practice and showed everyone what it takes to excel as a human being. I am 100% convinced that Hogue elevated every single person in our program to be not only the athlete they needed to be, but the person they were destined to be.” 
 
Aubrie Fisher, Wartburg College
Fisher is a national champion and 14-time All-American in cross country and track & field. She won twenty A-R-C championship titles during her storied career for the Knights. She holds three Wartburg program records in her name. 
 
In the classroom, she was a double major in psychology and sociology and carried a 3.9333 cumulative grade point average. She is a five-time United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic American while also being named to the College Sport Communicators (CSC) First-Team All-Academic in 2023. She additionally was a member of Alpha Chi. 
 
In leadership and community service roles, Fisher served as a meet volunteer for Wartburg’s high school meets. She was a Tri-by-Knight Triathlon volunteer for three years, was involved with Wartburg’s Unified Sports Day in 2020, and Wartburg’s MLK Day of Service where she helped make tie blankets that were donated to a place in need. 
 
Ryan Chapman, Wartburg College Head Cross Country and Assistant Track & Field Coach: “Fisher is an avid scholar; she is a lover of knowledge. Her work habits and care put towards the tiniest academic minutia made her an example for her peers. This development did not come at once. Instead, it came through vigorous attention to her studies. As she delved further away from gen eds and into the realm of vocational studies, her paradigm towards future schooling changed. She began to see graduate school and overall academic achievement a necessary step towards her own personal development. When smoke cleared here at Wartburg, she carried a 3.95 GPA, along with the second-most All-American certificates in Wartburg history.” 
 
 
2023-24 Men’s Finalists: 
Cael Schmitt, Coe College
Schmitt led the Kohawks to the 2023 and 2024 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament with Coe earning its first postseason victory in over 40 years in 2024. He was a four-time first-team all-conference performer and a two-time A-R-C Defensive Most Valuable Performer. In 2021, he was named D3hoops.com West Region Rookie of the Year and a 2024 NABC All-District and D3hoops.com All-Region honoree.
 
In the classroom, Schmitt maintained a 4.00 cumulative grade point average while double majoring in computer science and business administration with a minor in data science. He was a Jostens Trophy Award Finalist, an award that recognizes the most outstanding men’s and women’s Division III basketball players of the year. He was named College Sport Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Team Member of the Year and is a three-time Academic All-American by CSC. 
 
In leadership and community service roles, Schmitt was an active volunteer tutor and basketball coach. He partook in a service project for underprivileged children in Brazil with DIII Team USA by hosting a basketball camp. He was actively involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and was active in cleanup efforts. Schmitt went to local elementary schools to read and spend time with students and also volunteered following the horrific derecho that hit the Cedar Rapids community. 
 
John Payan, Coe College Head Men’s Basketball Coach: “Schmitt is the most dominant player on both offense and defense that I have coached in my years as a coach here at Coe! He is the epitome of what an NCAA Division III student-athlete should be on the court, in the classroom, and in the community! The legacy that he has left behind at Coe will be talked about for years to come. He has made our program better, his teammates better, and helped me as a coach improve by simply being around him. I could not think of anyone who exemplifies what it means to be a scholar-athlete more than Schmitt.”
 
Max Cleveland, Simpson College
Cleveland is a three-time All-American and four-time national qualifier for Simpson College. He earned All-Region honors five times and was a six-time A-R-C All-Conference performer. He graduated from Simpson holding two school records. 
 
In the classroom, Cleveland majored in human services, psychology, and religion and maintained a 3.959 cumulative grade point average. Earlier this year, Cleveland was announced as the Division III Commissioners Association (DIIICA) National Scholar-Athlete of the Year after being the league’s nomination. He earned College Sport Communicators (CSC) Academic All-American honors in 2024 and was a two-time All-District honoree. He received the 2024 Outstanding Senior in Religion Award at Simpson. Cleveland earned A-R-C Academic All-Conference four times and was seen six times on the Simpson President’s List. 
 
In volunteer and community service roles, Cleveland served as a youth group leader and counselor for seventh and eighth graders at Indianola Community Church. He volunteered at a local retirement community and at middle school and high school track meets. He engaged with the local youth at an annual Halloween Trunk or Treat and participated in Meals for the Heartland. Cleveland was an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and served as a Sexual Assault Response Advocate (SARA) on Simpson’s campus. 
 
James Hoffman, Simpson College Associate Head Track Coach: “Cleveland’s athletic achievements speak for themselves. He not only excelled in his individual events, but also played a pivotal role in fostering a positive team environment and culture. His ability to motivate his teammates, combined with his competitive spirit, led our team to improve overall and see other teammates enjoy success over the last few years.”
 
Owen Grover, Wartburg College
Grover led the Knights football team to back-to-back national semifinal appearances. He was the Cliff Harris Award Winner and a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy. Grover was named D3football.com National Defensive Player of the Year and a D3football.com, Associated Press, and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-American. He holds the Wartburg school record with 364 career total tackles. 
 
In the classroom, Grover carried a 3.9867 cumulative grade point average while majoring in biology and having minors in chemistry and leadership. During his career, he earned College Sport Communicators (CSC) Academic Team Member of the Year after being named a football Academic All-American. He dived into research about the effects of creatine supplementation on mTBI and the effects of in-season and off-season athletics participation on body composition. 
 
In leadership and community service roles, Grover was a Unified Sports Day Leader and volunteered at the Waverly Health Center Emergency Department. He was a rehab volunteer at the Craig Hospital for brain and spinal cord injuries. Grover was a lead volunteer for Wartburg’s TriByKnight and was a Morale Captain for Wartburg Dance Marathon. He was actively involved with Student-Athlete Advisory Commitee (SAAC) at Wartburg and was apart of the Executive Team for Catholic Knights. 
 
Chris Winter, Wartburg College Head Football Coach: “Grover is a responsible, dependable, self-motivated person. I could always rely on him to do the right thing. He is the type of person who is early for everything and comes prepared every day to get better. I never questioned his readiness at any point in his career. I could count on Grover to give great effort and bring positive energy to the team on a consistent basis. He served as an excellent example to other student-athletes on our team and was a tremendous representative of Wartburg football during his time on campus.”