ELMHURST, Ill.—South Dakota received The Summit League's Institutional Academic Achievement Award by placing the highest percentage of list-eligible student-athletes on the Commissioner's List. USD placed 90 student-athletes, combining for 107 selections, on the 2017-18 Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence released Thursday by The Summit League. In addition, the Coyotes' women's basketball, men's cross country and women's track and field teams received Team Academic Achievement Awards.
 
To be eligible for the commissioner's list, a student-athlete must have a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average, have previously completed at least three semesters at the institution (except graduate transfers) and must have used a season of competition in the sport in which the student-athlete is nominated.
 
USD had more than 50 percent (107 of 212) of its list-eligible student-athletes boast a cumulative GPA above 3.50 and earn a spot on the prestigious Commissioner's List across all sports.
 
South Dakota's women's basketball, men's cross country and women's track and field teams boasted the highest percentage of eligible student-athletes on the Commissioner's List among league members in their respective sports to earn the Team Academic Achievement Award. Men's cross country reached 80 percent, women's basketball placed 78 percent of its eligible student-athletes on the list, while women's track and field had 74 percent of its student-athletes make the list.
 
Other Coyote programs that turned in a high percentage were women's cross country (82 percent) and women's tennis (75 percent).
 
The complete list of South Dakota's 2018 Summit League Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence honorees is below.
 
Men's Cross Country (4)
Brice Cowman, Sr., Medical Biology, Yankton, S.D.
Pierce Libbey, Jr., Business Administration, Wauwatosa, Wis.
Jacob Simmons, Jr., Criminal Justice, Sturgis, S.D.
Eldon Warner, Jr., Music, Council Bluffs, Iowa
 
Women's Cross Country (14)
Brook Benes, Sr., Human Resource Management, Lincoln, Neb.
Megan Billington, Jr., Kinesiology and Sport Management, Grand Island, Neb.
Taylor Brown, So., Kinesiology Sport Management, Ankeny, Iowa
Ellie Coyle, So., Biology, Philip, S.D.
Haley Fritza, So., Health Science, South Sioux City, Neb.
Allison Howard, So., Communication Studies, Trussville, Ala.
Madeline Huglen, Jr., Nursing, Roseau, Minn.
Lindsay Joyce, Jr., Kinesiology and Sport Management, Sioux City, Iowa
Kimberley Klein, So., Social Work, Stevens Point, Wis.
Bethany Kozak, Jr., Spanish & Kinesiology and Sport Management, Hugo, Minn.
Julia Noah, So., Health Science & Psychology, Urbandale, Iowa
Nicole Schmidt, Sr., Master's in Interdisciplinary Sciences, Menomonie, Wis.
Kianna Stewart, So., Business Administration, Red Wing, Minn.
Erin Wetzstein, Sr., Biology & Sustainability, Hudson, Wis.
 
Women's Soccer (9)
Zoe Anderson, Jr., Criminal Justice, Torrance, Calif.
Madeline Butterfield, Jr., Medical Biology, Shawnee, Kan.
Taryn LaBree, So., Criminal Justice, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Katlin Ptacek, Sr., Economics, Owatonna, Minn.
Parker Rytz, Jr., Nursing, Encinitas, Calif.
Julie Teslow, So., Economics, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Sammie Villwock, Jr., Operations Analytics, Lake Villa, Ill.
Kellee Willer, So., Elementary & Special Education, Fort Collins, Colo.
Sydney Wilson, So., Criminal Justice, Lee's Summit, Mo.
 
Volleyball (6)
Brittany Jessen, Sr., English Education, Mendota Heights, Minn.
Kelly Law, Sr., Political Science, Minneapolis, Minn.
Elizabeth Loschen, So., Finance, Omaha, Neb.
Anne Rasmussen, So., Kinesiology and Sport Management, Oak Creek, Wis.
Rachel Schmidt, Jr., Master's in Interdisciplinary Sciences, Excelsior, Minn.
Kristina Susak, Jr., Kinesiology and Sport Management, Colorado Springs, Colo.
 
Men's Basketball (1)
Logan Power, Jr., Kinesiology and Sport Management, Lincoln, Neb.
 
Women's Basketball (7)
Allison Arens, Jr., Elementary Education, Crofton, Neb.
Megan Bonar, So., Health Science, Gardner, Kan.
Jaycee Bradley, Jr., Nursing, Norfolk, Neb.
Caitlin Duffy, Sr., Master's in Public Administration, Rapid City, S.D.
Ciara Duffy, So., Political Science, Rapid City, S.D.
Taylor Frederick, So., Math Education, Earling, Iowa
Kate Liveringhouse, Sr., Master's in Health Administration, Bellevue, Neb.
 
Men's Swimming and Diving (5)
Tommy Drazick, Jr., Spanish & Biology, Casper, Wyo.
Bryce Fehringer, So., Criminal Justice & Political Science, Kersey, Colo.
Christian Fossum, So., Mathematics, Mitchell, S.D.
Jack Lawrence, So., Chemistry, Fort Worth, Texas
Josh Sorbe, So., Political Science & Business Administration, Brookings, S.D.
 
Women's Swimming and Diving (9)
Theresa Godlewski, Jr., Math Education, Mount Prospect, Ill.
Hannah Gupton, Jr., Communication Science and Disorders, Sandy, Ore.
Morgan Holt, Jr., Sport Media and Marketing, Clermont, Fla.
Kelly Howell, Sr., Medical Biology, Milwaukee, Wis.
Taylor Kidd, Jr., Media and Journalism, Grand Junction, Colo.
Kellee Lekavy, Sr., Biology, Chetwynd, British Columbia, Canada
Emily Lundstrom, Sr., Kinesiology and Sport Management, Northfield, Minn.
Charlie Mechling, So., Health Science, Glenwood Springs, Colo.
Jordan Thielbar, So., Psychology, Zionsville, Ind.
 
Women's Tennis (3)
Barbora Kollarova, Sr., Finance, Hlohovec, Slovakia
Nanette Nylund, So., Nursing, Tuusula, Finland
Hannah Wich, Sr., Mathematics & Economics, Hainburg, Germany
 
Men's Golf (1)
Scott Fudenberg, So., Finance, Hastings, Minn.
 
Women's Golf (3)
Katie Bartlett, So., Nursing, Pierre, S.D.
Jamie Benedict, So., Nursing, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Abby Dufrane, Sr., Kinesiology and Sport Management, Marinette, Wis.
 
Softball (3)
Jamie Holscher, Jr., Health Service Administration, Lincoln, Neb.
Taylor Steinfeldt, Sr., Elementary Education, Ankeny, Iowa
Christy Warnock, Sr., Human Resource Management, Omaha, Neb.
 
Men's Track and Field (7)
Zack Anderson, So., Physical Education, Parker, S.D.
Jay Cooper, Sr., General Studies, Rapid City, S.D.
Brice Cowman, Sr., Medical Biology, Yankton, S.D.
Tomas Kamenik, Sr., Master's in Accounting, Prague, Czech Republic
Armand Khan, So., Physics, Ratingen, Germany
Jacob Simmons, Jr., Criminal Justice, Sturgis, S.D.
Eldon Warner, Jr., Music, Council Bluffs, Iowa
 
Women's Track and Field (35)
Zoe Anderson, Jr., Criminal Justice, Torrance, Calif.
Maddie Aune, Sr., Medical Biology, Keller, Texas
Brook Benes, Sr., Human Resource Management, Lincoln, Neb.
Carmen Bermudez, So., Elementary Education, Chandler, Ariz.
Cortney Bickley, So., Business Administration, Brandon, S.D.
Megan Billington, Jr., Kinesiology and Sport Management, Grand Island, Neb.
Lara Boman, Jr., Physics, Edina, Minn.
Cami Brenner, Sr., Medical Biology, Omaha, Neb.
Alyssa Brown, Jr., Kinesiology and Sport Management, Wood River, Neb.
Taylor Brown, So., Kinesiology Sport Management, Ankeny, Iowa
Haley Bruggeman, Jr., Medical Biology, Harrisburg, S.D.
Phoenix Choal, So., Communication Studies, Reliance, S.D.
Colette Christensen, Sr., Medical Biology, Rapid City, S.D.
Ellie Coyle, So., Biology, Philip, S.D.
Hannah Draayer, So., Psychology, Ankeny, Iowa
Karina Dufoe, Jr., Media and Journalism, Adel, Iowa
Mallory Fine, Jr., Communication Science and Disorders, Rapid City, S.D.
Haley Fritza, So., Health Science, South Sioux City, Neb.
Tasheka Gordon, So., Health Science, Harbour View, Jamaica
Allison Howard, So., Communication Studies, Trussville, Ala.
Madeline Huglen, Jr., Nursing, Roseau, Minn.
Brooke Ireland, Sr., Kinesiology and Sport Management, Sturgis, S.D.
Lindsay Joyce, Sr., Kinesiology and Sport Management, Sioux City, Iowa
Julia Junkroski, Jr., Nursing, Mokena, Ill.
Britny Kerr, So., Nursing, Portmore, Jamaica
Kimberley Klein, So., Social Work, Stevens Point, Wis.
Bethany Kozak, Jr., Spanish & Kinesiology and Sport Management, Hugo, Minn.
Alli Lake, Sr., Accounting, Gettysburg, S.D.
Molly Schiermeyer, Jr., Sport Media and Marketing, Fremont, Neb.
Nicole Schmidt, Sr., Master's in Interdisciplinary Sciences, Menomonie, Wis.
Emilee Shostrom, So., Marketing, Lincoln, Neb.
Kianna Stewart, So., Business Administration, Red Wing, Minn.
Ashley Thompson Ballew, Sr., Master's in Secondary Education, Rapid City, S.D.
Erin Wetzstein, Sr., Biology & Sustainability, Hudson, Wis.
Ellie Wilson, So., Psychology, Shawnee, Kan.