Four student-athletes receive the MIAC Elite 22 award

Four CSB+SJU student-athletes were awarded the MIAC’s Elite 22 Award this fall. Junior runner Tommy Allen, senior soccer defender Aidan Becken, junior golfer Nate Loxtercamp and junior runner Fiona Smith were award recipients.

The Elite 22 Award recognizes student-athletes with the highest grade-point average among the All-MIAC honorees for each sport. To receive All-MIAC honors, athletes need to be among the top 15 individuals for cross country, top 10 individuals for golf or among the six teams that reach the MIAC playoffs for soccer.

These All-MIAC individuals with the highest GPA also need to be a sophomore, junior or senior in at least their second season of competition with their current team to qualify for the award. Allen, one of the recipients of the Elite 22 Award, is a biochemistry major (pre-medicine emphasis) with a 4.0 GPA. This is Allen’s third Elite 22 Award and his first for cross country. Allen was a recipient of this honor for both indoor and outdoor track and field last spring. Allen strives to excel at both academics and athletics. Allen finished 14th out of 169 runners at this year’s MIAC Championships to earn All-MIAC honors. This contributed to a second place team finish for the Johnnies.

Becken, another one of the recipients of the Elite 22 Award, is a biology major (pre-medicine emphasis) with a 4.0 GPA. Becken played in 17 games this fall for the Johnnie soccer team, totaling five points (two goals, one assist). Becken has been an All-MIAC honorable mention twice, and he will earn his third Academic All-American honor when it’s announced in January. Becken helped the Johnnies to their 11th MIAC semifinal game in 12 MIAC playoff appearances. Becken totaled 13 points (five goals, three assists) in 45 games in his Johnnie career. He also tacked on three game-winners, including two in the 2022 season. As Becken’s time on the SJU soccer team comes to a close, he hopes to positively influence the younger players on the team.

“[I want the younger guys to] succeed on the field and in the classroom. That’s something that I think is really important to me and should continue to be important for our team and all the teams at St. John’s,” Becken said.

The third recipient of the Elite 22 Award, Loxtercamp, is an accounting major with a 4.0 GPA. Loxtercamp medalled at the MIAC golf championships this fall with a three-round total of 210 (six under par). Loxtercamp shot an average of 72.9 in 13 rounds this fall. He shot at par or better in six of those rounds. Loxtercamp spoke on how he is able to perform at the highest level in both the classroom and the golf course.

“When I’m golfing, my mind is 100% focused on golf, and the same applies for school,” Loxtercamp said via email.

Loxtercamp became the 13th Johnnie to medal at the MIAC Championships. The Johnnies won their third consecutive title by 13 strokes this fall at the MIAC Championships. They will compete at the NCAA Division III Championships in May.

Smith the fourth recipient of the Elite 22 Award, is a math major with a 4.0 GPA. Smith is the seventh CSB student-athlete to receive the Elite 22 Award. Smith talked about how she is able to balance her time as a student-athlete while excelling at both.

“Being on a sports team helps me balance [my time] better,” she said.

She gives credit to running for her success in academics and athletics.

“I have my time scheduled more precisely than if I didn’t have [cross country] practice every day,” Smith said.

Smith won both the MIAC cross country Championship and the NCAA DIII North Region this season. She finished her season with a second-place finish at the NCAA DIII Championships.

St. Ben’s Athletic Director Kelly Anderson Diercks spoke on the accomplishment of winning the Elite 22 Award.

“The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) is comprised of a group of very strong academic institutions, so anytime we are able to have an Elite 22 honoree from our campus, it is certainly an accomplishment to be proud of,” Anderson Diercks said via email.

Anderson Diercks went on to speak about her hopes for the future of St. Ben’s regarding the Elite 22 Award.

“I absolutely hope that we can continue to have CSB student-athletes recognized for both parts of being a student-athlete–the academics as well as the athletics,” Anderson Diercks said.

St. John’s Athletic Director Bob Alpers spoke on the history of the Elite 22 Award for SJU.

“It speaks to a long-standing tradition of academic and athletic success by our student-athletes,” Alpers said.

Alpers had high praise for not only the Elite 22 award-winners but all student-athletes around campus.

“It’s ingrained in the culture that we are going to try and do our best to achieve at the highest level in both of those areas [academics and athletics],” Alpers said.