KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The MIAA has announced its final academic honors for the 2020-2021 academic year. The awards include Academic Excellence, Scholar-Athlete and Academic Honor Roll for all first-year and transfer student-athletes. To be considered as a first-year or transfer student-athlete, the individual had not completed two semesters, excluding summer terms, at their current institution when they competed in their sport.
The Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats had 106 first-year and transfer student-athletes honored by the MIAA for their academic work.
Over 110 student-athletes earned the distinguished Academic Excellence Award. An MIAA Academic Excellence Award recipient must have a grade point average used by the institution for purposes of NCAA academic certification of 4.00 or better at the certifying member institution. Eight Bearcat newcomers achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA to begin their Northwest careers.
| Name |
Sport |
Year |
GPA |
Major |
Hometown |
| Federico Crisci |
Men's Track & Field |
Jr. |
4.00 |
MBA - General |
Caserta, Italy |
| Jillian Fleming |
Women's Basketball |
Fr. |
4.00 |
Business Management |
Kansas City, Mo. |
| Lexie Gilbert |
Women's Track & Field |
Fr. |
4.00 |
Wildlife Ecology & Conservation |
Omaha, Neb. |
| Molly Hartnett |
Women's Basketball |
Fr. |
4.00 |
Elementary Education |
Overland Park, Kan. |
| Tessa Kwakernaak |
Women's Tennis |
Fr. |
4.00 |
International Business |
Gouda, The Netherlands |
| Emily Saalfeld |
Women's Cross Country/Track & Field |
Fr. |
4.00 |
Applied Health: Exercise Science |
Omaha, Neb. |
| Elly Speece |
Women's Golf |
Fr. |
4.00 |
Food & Nutrition |
Papillion, Neb. |
| Maddie Taylor |
Women's Soccer |
Fr. |
4.00 |
Elementary Education |
Kearney, Mo. |
The Scholar-Athlete list for first-year and transfer student-athletes includes 44 student-athletes, in which the Bearcats have five receive honors. To qualify as a Scholar-Athlete an individual must have a grade point average used by the institution for purposes of NCAA academic certification of 3.50 at the certifying member institution. If competing in a championship sport of the MIAA, the student-athlete must earn All-MIAA honors.
| Name |
Men's/Women's |
Year |
GPA |
Major |
Hometown |
| Letycia Bonifacio |
Women's Soccer |
Jr. |
3.52 |
Applied Health: Exercise Science |
Sao Paolo, Brazil |
| Federico Crisci |
Men's Track & Field |
Jr. |
4.00 |
MBA - General |
Caserta, Italy |
| Molly Hartnett |
Women's Basketball |
Fr. |
4.00 |
Elementary Education |
Overland Park, Kan. |
| Tessa Kwakernaak |
Women's Tennis |
Fr. |
4.00 |
International Business |
Gouda, The Netherlands |
| Reece Smith |
Men's Track & Field |
So. |
3.90 |
Biology: Biomedical Sciences |
Garner, Iowa |
The achievement of Academic Honor Roll was accomplished by 930 student-athletes. To be recognized on the Academic Honor Roll, one must have a grade point average used by the institution for purposes of NCAA academic certification of 3.00 at the certifying member institution. Northwest had 106 newcomers or first-year student-athletes earn spots on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll.
