BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) recognized some of its best and brightest winter-sport student-athletes on Thursday with the announcement of the basketball, hockey, swimming & diving, and indoor track & field Elite 22 Awards.
Saint John’s Ryan Thissen and Gustavus’ Betsy Schoenrock were the recipients of the men’s and women’s basketball Elite 22 awards, with St. Olaf’s Lukas Haugen and Gustavus’ Kayla Vrieze earning hockey honors. The swimming & diving Elite 22 awards went to Carleton’s Josh Wu and St. Catherine’s Sammi Friedrich, while Saint John’s Tommy Allen and Bethel’s Annessa Ihde were honored in indoor track & field.
The MIAC Elite 22 Award recognizes the true essence of the term “student-athlete” by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the conference championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. Modeled after the NCAA Elite 90 Award, the MIAC Elite 22 Award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest grade-point average (GPA) in each sport who meets similarly high, sport-specific athletic requirements.
In all sports with MIAC team postseason tournaments, including basketball and hockey, the MIAC Elite 22 Award is presented to the individual with the highest GPA on the active roster at the MIAC Playoff championship contest. In swimming & diving and indoor track & field, the winner is the individual with the highest GPA who was named All-Conference. The recipient must be a sophomore, junior, or senior and in at least his or her second season of competition with their current team.
Allen (So. | Woodbury, Minn. | St. Paul Academy) picked up a pair of All-MIAC honors at the 2022 Indoor Track & Field Championships, placing third in the 800-meter run and second in the 1000 meters to help the Johnnies claim their first-ever MIAC championship in indoor track & field. He has maintained a 4.0 grade-point average while majoring in biochemistry at Saint John’s.
Friedrich (So. | Ham Lake, Minn. | Blaine) became a two-time All-MIAC honoree at the 2022 Swimming & Diving Championships. She placed second in the 1650-yard freestyle and third in the 500-yard freestyle to help St. Catherine repeat as MIAC women’s swimming & diving champions. She has a 4.0 GPA while majoring in applied exercise sports science at St. Catherine.
Haugen (So. | Excelsior, Minn.) played a key role in the Oles’ improbable run to the MIAC Men’s Hockey Playoff Championship this winter, making 87 combined saves against the three top-seeded teams in the conference tournament. Haugen played all 180 minutes in goal for the Oles during their playoff run. He has a 4.0 grade-point average as an economics major at St. Olaf.
Ihde (So. Appleton, Wis. | North) placed second in the 600-meter run at the 2022 MIAC Indoor Track & Field Championships, helping Bethel earn its first-ever conference title in the sport. Ihde also placed fourth overall in the 800-meter run, receiving honorable mention distinction to go along with her All-MIAC nod in the 600. She is an international relations major with a 4.0 GPA at Bethel.
Schoenrock (Jr. | New Richland, Minn. | NRHEG) saw action in 12 games this season for the Gusties, including two tournament victories on Gustavus’ run to the MIAC Women’s Basketball Playoff title. She is a career 49.5-percent shooter at Gustavus and averaged 6.4 minutes per game in three seasons for the Gusties. Schoenrock has a 3.95 GPA while majoring in elementary education at Gustavus.
Thissen (So. | Rosemount, Minn. | Eastview) helped Saint John’s to a third consecutive MIAC Men’s Basketball Playoff championship this season, scoring eight points in 35 minutes on the court in the title game. He was named Second Team All-MIAC for his efforts over the course of the season after tying for the team lead in with 4.8 rebounds per game and ranking second in the lineup with 11.3 points per game and 39 total assists in conference play. He has a 4.0 GPA while majoring in biochemistry.
Vrieze (Sr. | Eagan, Minn.) had two goals and an assist from her defender position during the Gusties run to their 15th MIAC Women’s Hockey Playoff championship in program history. For the season, Vrieze tallied 11 points and had a +10 mark in conference play en route to All-Conference honors. She has a 3.99 GPA while majoring in public accounting at Gustavus. Vrieze previously received the MIAC’s Elite 22 award for women’s hockey in 2020.
Wu (Germantown, Wis.) earned four All-MIAC honors at the 2022 Swimming & Diving Championships where he helped Carleton to four third-place results in relay competition. Wu swam the first leg of the 200-yard and 800-yard freestyle relays and closed the show in both the 200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle relays. He has a 4.0 GPA at Carleton.
A physical award will be provided to the winners to commemorate their MIAC Elite 22 Award. The conference also recognizes the honorees on the MIAC Elite 22 Award website, which archives each of the winners throughout the academic year.
| 2021-22 MIAC Elite 22 Award | Elite 22 Home Page |
