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Former MSUM Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President and Dragons track & field alum Rachel Schumacher was interviewed this week by the NCAA's Haydyn Gibson about the Joe's Heroes Make-A-Wish night which received the 2023 NCAA Division II Award of Excellence.  The NCAA and Gibson were kind enough to share their podcast with us. 

The Award of Excellence is the highest non-athletic honor the NCAA bestows to an institution.  The award was presented to MSUM athletic director Chad Markuson at the annual NCAA convention in San Antonio, Texas, on Saturday morning. MSU Moorhead was named a finalist, along with 22 other institutions, on January 4. The award is intended to celebrate, recognize and champion a school's community engagement efforts.

"It was such an honor to be named a finalist.  To win the Award of Excellence is very humbling and exciting for our student athletes," said Markuson. "Their work in the community is both inspiring and aligns great with NCAA Division II core values."

MSUM's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee put together a massive event to honor their friend and Dragon superfan Joe Keller. Through SAAC's work, MSUM helped raise $4,385 for Make-a-Wish North Dakota to honor their friend who had previously had his wish granted. Keller was an MSUM student, superfan and athletics intern with muscular dystrophy who passed away in the summer of 2021. 

"I appreciate the NCAA's commitment to recognizing student athletes for their contributions outside of their sports. Our Dragon student athletes exemplify MSU Moorhead's core values of grit, humility, and heart—both on and off the playing field," said MSUM President Dr. Anne Blackhurst. "They inspire my Dragon Pride every day and I'm thrilled they've received national recognition for their extraordinary engagement with our community."


FULL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE PRESS RELEASE