April 7, 2025
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Two athletes from the North Star Athletic Association institutions received the NAIA national awards at the recent convention at Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina.
The winners were announced on the NAIA National Awards Day on September 15, 2024. Kaitlyn McColly of Dickinson State (N.D.) and Sadie Hansen of Valley City State (N.D.) were recognized as the NAIA national winners during the luncheon at the NAIA national convention. The NSAA conference was the only NAIA conference that had two recipients to the NAIA national awards.
A.O. Duer Award
The A.O. Duer Scholarship Award is named in honor of the NAIA’s former executive secretary who served the association for 26 years. This award has been annually presented since 1967 to a male and female student-athlete completing their junior season in any sport who has excelled in scholarship, character, and citizenship.
Kaitlyn McColly, Dickinson State (N.D.)
McColly, a nursing student and a member of the Dickinson State track and field team from Hinsdale, Mont., collected numerous athletics and academic honors. She earned the regional Female Athlete-of-the-Year, North Star Athletic Association Athlete-of-the-Year, NAIA national champion in multi-events, numerous NAIA All-America, and NSAA All-Conference awards.
“Kaitlyn is one of the highest characters off the field,” said Pete Stanton, athletics director at Dickinson State. “She is well respected and admired by her teammates, coaches, and faculty members. She is a role model for others with not only the lifestyle she lives, but how she leads others to do the same by making great choices and setting great examples for her teammates and classmates.”
“She is a leader in the classroom and with what she does volunteering in our community and getting others to follow her lead,” added Stanton.
Dr. LeRoy Walker Champions of Character Award
The Dr. LeRoy Walker Award is one of the most prestigious awards in the NAIA and was created to honor athletes that went above and beyond in academics, athletics, leadership, and living the five core values of the NAIA Champions of Character initiative.
Sadie Hansen, Valley City State (N.D.)
Hansen, an elementary education major at Valley City State, is a member of the Viking volleyball and track & field squads. She earned numerous NSAA All-Conference honors in both volleyball and track & field, as well as third team All-America and NSAA Setter of the Year award in volleyball. She has also collected NAIA and NSAA Scholar Athlete awards.
Hansen had been involved in VCSU’s Phone-a-Thon for the past three years. She was on the New Student Orientation Crew Leader, assisting with new student orientation sessions. She served as the student-athlete advisory board committee’s Vice President for the past two years.
Hansen was the NSAA Board of Student Athletes representative in 2022-23 and 2023-24. She volunteered at the Special Olympics, taught Sunday School at a local church, and assisted students with diverse background needs.