CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Postseason awards are going to begin rolling out very quickly in baseball and today the finalists for the 2025 Jostens Trophy were announced. Luther's Kailey Jones represents the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) on the list of ten men and ten women finalists.
The Jostens Trophy honors - one for men's basketball and one for women's basketball - are national awards created by the Rotary Club of Salem and sponsored by Jostens, Inc., to recognize the most outstanding men's and women's Division III basketball players of the year. The awards focus on three major criteria: basketball ability, academic prowess, and service to one's surrounding communities. The Jostens Trophy models the Rotary International motto of "Service Above Self" by recognizing those who truly fit the ideal of a well-rounded Division III student-athlete. The 2025 season marks the 27th time the Jostens Trophy honors will be awarded.
The Rotary Club of Salem is responsible for the initial review of the nominees, which it conducts over a two-week period. The Club's Jostens Trophy Committee objectively reviews the nominees and uses a numerical system to pare down the pools to an initial list of 20 finalists -- 10 for the men's award and 10 for the women's trophy.
The finalists will now be reviewed by the Jostens Trophy National Selection Committee. The committee is composed of men and women from across the country. The committee features current and former athletic administrators and head coaches, past Jostens Trophy recipients, and select members of the Division III media. The committee will spend the next week-plus reviewing the nominees with the aim of announcing the two winners the week following both national championship events.
Listed below are the women's finalists for the 2025 Jostens Trophy awards:
- Daniella Bessler, Yeshiva University
- Crace Bezold, Hanover College
- Natalie Bruns, New York University
- Kacie Carollo, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
- Lauren Huber, Illinois Wesleyan University
- Kailey Jones, Luther College
- Cam Lexow, Gallaudet Universitiy
- Catherine Or, Carnegie Mellon University
- Olivia Rangel, Carroll University
- Zoe Tomlinson, Coloardo College
Don't forget to become a fan of the American Rivers Conference on Facebook @AmericanRiversConference, X (Twitter) @AmerRiversConf, and Instagram @AmericanRiversConference.
About the American Rivers Conference
The Conference dates back to December 8, 1922, when representatives from 12 colleges got together and formed the "Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Association." Honoring its heritage in Iowa and its expansion outside the state, the American Rivers Conference brand was established on August 9, 2018, to build on the academic and athletic success provided by its legacy, the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The A-R-C has nine full-time members: Buena Vista University, Central College, Coe College, University of Dubuque, Loras College, Luther College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Simpson College, and Wartburg College.
