University of South Dakota Athletics

A top distance swimmer, Vermillion, S.D., native Lorelei Heisinger was awarded the 1988 Honor Athlete Award and named Academic All-NCC in 1987 and 1988 at South Dakota. A co-captain as a senior, Heisinger won an NCC title in the 1,650 freestyle in 1987 (17:54.98), setting an NCC record. Heisinger, named the Most Valuable Performer for the Coyote women's team in 1986, left USD with nine school records. She was a member of the Coyotes' 200 medley relay team which earned All-American honors in 1985. At USD Heisinger, who interned as a student with the South Dakota House of Representatives, also received the Erwin R. Behrendt Memorial Scholarship and the Rube Hoy Award. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in history in 1989 from USD and later received a juris doctor degree (with honors) from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. She is now an attorney and lobbyist from Waterloo, Iowa.