ST. PETER, Minn. – Senior distance runner Marit Sonnesyn (Plymouth, Minn.) and junior baseball player Isaiah Welckle (Minneapolis, Minn.) have been selected as the Gustavus Adolphus College May Female and Male Student-Athletes-of-the-Month, presented by Thrivent Financial and voted on by the Gustavus Sports Information Department.
Marit Sonnesyn
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field
Hometown: Plymouth, Minn.
High School: Wayzata
Major: Biology
Parents: Jill and Steve Sonnesyn
For the second consecutive month, Sonnesyn has been named Student-Athlete-of-the-Month, and for good reason. The Plymouth native won all three of her races leading up to the NCAA Championships. On May 4, Sonnesyn claimed the gold in the 5k at the Minnesota State University-Mankato Twilight Meet with a time of 18:37. She then followed that up with two first place finishes at the MIAC Championships on May 13 and 14. Sonnesyn topped the podium in the 10k with a time of 37:36 and the next day she won the 5k at 18:05. After setting a school record time of 36:10 in the 10k earlier in the season, Sonnesyn qualified for the NCAA Championships and entered the meet seeded 21st. To cap her collegiate career, Sonnesyn ran the 10k on a hot day – not ideal for distance running – and finished 13th at the national meet with a time of 38:03. The Wayzata product was also recognized by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association as a member of the All-Region Team. Throughout her senior outdoor season, Sonnesyn finished behind Division III competition only twice.
Isaiah Welckle
Baseball
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minn.
High School: Washburn
Major: Economics
Parents: Michael Welckle and Kirsten Wedes of Minneapolis, Minn.
Welckle capped his junior season in an impressive way, posting a .474 batting average during the month of May, while helping the Gusties sweep their final three doubleheaders. Welckle went 9-for-19 at the plate with five runs scored, two RBI, a walk, and four stolen bases. The Minneapolis native added 15 putouts and 10 assists with no errors for a perfect fielding percentage at second base. Welckle was instrumental in Gustavus’s season-ending sweep over No. 15-ranked St. Thomas as he scored the winning run in the first game after going 3-for-4 at the plate. Welckle then added a hit and two runs in the second game victory. Welckle was named to the MIAC All-Conference Team as one of three second basemen after recording a .365 batting average and a .943 fielding percentage. The Gusties finished the season 20-18 overall and 9-11 in the league, which tied for sixth place.