VERMILLION, S.D. – The South Dakota volleyball and men's cross country teams earned the Dr. Tina Keller and Dr. Jack Powell Leader of the Pack Awards, respectively, for highest grade point average announced Monday in a digital version of The Charlies, the athletics annual award ceremony. The men's cross country team had a 3.21 combined GPA while volleyball had a 3.66 team GPA in the 2020-21 season.
 
The awards were named in honor of the two longest-tenured Faculty Athletic Representatives in USD history. Dr. Keller served 11 years as FAR during a 27-year career at the University. Dr. Powell served 10 years during a 45-year career at USD.
 
In addition to its work in the classroom, volleyball earned its second Summit League Tournament championship with its thrilling five set comeback versus Denver. With the win, the Yotes booked their second trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Coyotes finished the season 15-7 which included a win over then No. 14 ranked Creighton in Omaha. The win was USD's first win in the Division I era over a ranked opponent.
 
Five student-athletes from the team turned in perfect 4.0 GPAs in the spring while eight others finished with a 3.5 GPA or higher. Aimee Adams and Elizabeth Juhnke were named Academic All-Summit League this past season. This was volleyball's second time as the recipient of the Dr. Tina Keller Leader of the Pack Award.
 
The men's cross country team did not compete in 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but excelled in the classroom. Three student-athletes from the team turned in perfect 4.0 GPAs in the spring while seven other's finished with 3.0 GPAs or higher. The men's cross country team has been the recipient of three of the four Dr. Jack Powell Leader of the Pack Awards.

More on Dr. Keller
Tina Keller was the associate dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and taught a variety of physics courses at USD including calculus-based introductory physics, modern physics and astronomy. In 2006, she was the recipient of USD's prestigious Belbas-Larson Award for excellence in teaching.
 
Keller graduated from North Dakota State University with a B.S. in 1984 and a Ph.D. in 1988. She was a four-year letterwinner in women's basketball for the Bison from 1980-84 and was twice named academic all-North Central Conference.
 
During her time as FAR at USD, the Coyotes had 14 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipients and one Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship recipient. Keller also played a key role in the athletic department's transition from NCAA Division II to Division I.
 
More on Dr. Powell
John "Jack" Powell taught in the Department of Mathematics and in the School of Business at USD for 45 years. He was a member of the NCAA Division II Rules Committee, spent more than 35 years as a timer for track and field and as part of the timing crew for basketball games.
 
Powell graduated from Morningside College in 1958, earned a master's degree at USD in 1962, and received an M.B.A and Ph.D. from Indiana University. In addition to his teaching and Division Chair roles at USD, he also served on the University Senate and the Athletic Board on Control.
 
Powell was a Vermillion City Council representative for 10 years before being elected mayor in 2010. He was reelected in 2014 and 2018 and served 10 years up until his passing last spring. Today was his celebration of life ceremony.
 
Teams awarded The Dr. Jack Powell and Dr. Tina Keller Leader of the Pack Award are listed below:
 
Dr. Jack Powell Men's Leader of the Pack Award
2021: Men's Cross Country
2020: Men's Golf
2019: Men's Cross Country
2018: Men's Cross Country
 
Dr. Tina Keller Women's Leader of the Pack Award
2021: Volleyball
2020: Women's Basketball
2019: Volleyball
2018: Women's Cross Country