DeSmet is NSIC Student-Athlete award winner

Sara DeSmet, a senior at Southwest Minneota State University, has been named an NSIC Honor Student-Athlete award winner. DeSmet, a Minneota native, is majoring in Secondary Communication Arts and Literature education.

She is also an outfielder on the Mustangs' softball team. DeSmet found out about her nomination for the Kelly Award last month.

"Honestly, there has been so much going on the past month with classes and traveling around the conference for softball that I wasn't even thinking about it," said DeSmet, a three-time Academic all-NSIC honoree.

The member institutions of the NSIC (Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) also nominate one male and one female student-athlete for the Willis R. Kelly and Dr. William Britton Scholar-Athlete Awards for Academic Excellence.

This year's Kelly winner was Anna Winter of Upper Iowa University, and the Britton winner was Kirby Hora of Augustana University. DeSmet was the female nominee from SMSU, while Jon Dicke of Rochester was the male nominee.

Nominated students must meet the following criteria; a grade-point-average of 3.5 or better (on a 4.0 scale), evidence of academic excellence beyond the minimum GPA (scholastic prizes and other academic recognition), evidence of participation in the life of the institution, and evidence of participation in at least two-thirds of the varsity events of the individual's primary sport.

The award is voted on by the NSIC Faculty Athletic Representatives. DeSmet and Dicke were honored at the SMSU Athletic Department's annual Celebration of Excellence awards program on Monday.

DeSmet, who sports a 3.93 GPA, previously won the NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award, as well as the NCAA Division II Degree Completion Award. DeSmet was a reserve catcher during her first two seasons before making a switch to the outfield, where she has been a major contributor. She has played in 107 games in her four-year career, including 56 starts.

This season, DeSmet is batting .280 with two home runs in 18 starts. SMSU completed its regular season on Sunday and will compete in the NSIC tournament next weekend.

"It is sad that my athletic career is coming to an end, but softball is something I do, not who I am," DeSmet said.

"It will be strange doing life without being an athlete, but I know relationships I've created and the memories I've made will always be a part of me.”

"By all means, I will be very upset on my last day, but my mentors, coaches and family have prepares me for life after college. I'm looking to discover new passions and applying the lessons I've learned through softball to other skills and hobbies."

DeSmet is planning to work this summer and volunteer with Fellowship of Christian Athlete camps.

"I love being close to home during the summers so I can spend time with my family," she said. After that, DeSmet will have one semester of student teaching. "I'd love to get a job as a substitute teacher to finish out the year," she said.

"I'm really looking forward to the opportunities that the future may present.”

"God has really blessed me these past four years with a relentless determination and a great support system. I attribute the success I've experienced in college to the way my parents and community have raised me."

Sara DeSmet

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