MINOT, N.D. – The NSIC presented its top individual honors on Thursday, the Dr. William Britton Scholar-Athlete and Willis R. Kelly Scholar-Athlete Awards, along with naming the Honor Student-Athletes from each conference member school who were finalists for the Britton and Kelly Awards.
The Britton Award honors the top male senior student-athlete in the NSIC who excels academically, athletically, and in community involvement, while the Kelly Award honors the top female senior in the NSIC who excels academically, athletically, and in community involvement.
Minot State senior student-athletes
Max Bray and
Sara Van Wickler each were named the Beavers' Honor Student-Athletes by the NSIC as finalists for these two distinguished awards.
Minnesota State Moorhead's Jack Strand won the Britton Award, and Minnesota Duluth's Elizabeth Vanloon won the Kelly Award.
Minot State's Bray is a senior offensive lineman for the Beaver football team who was named to the NSIC All-Academic Team three times during his four-year playing career.
A product of Mesa, Arizona, Bray played in seven games on the offensive line during his time at Minot State. He was named to the President's List once and to the Vice President of Academic Affairs Honor Roll four times.
A senior outfielder from Scottsdale, Arizona, on the Minot State softball team, Van Wickler is currently in her fourth season with the Beavers. She was twice named to the NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence, twice named to the President's List, and twice named to the Vice President of Academic Affairs Honor Roll.
A 2025 All-NSIC 2nd Team player who was also named to the 2024 NSIC All-Tournament Team, Van Wickler is a .327 career hitter who has played in 159 games for Minot State. She tied the single-season record for triples with her 9th earlier this season, and has 19 in her career, one shy of the all-time record. She has scored 100 runs, hit 11 home runs, driven in 75 runs, stolen 35 bases, and defensively has 213 putouts and 19 assists in her career.
Van Wickler also received the NSIC's Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award this year.
