(Photo courtesy of Trace Dobson)
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) recognized some of its best and brightest fall sport student-athletes on Monday with the announcement of the fall sports Elite 22 Awards. Gustavus was represented as Trace Dobson (Jr., Sioux Falls, S.D.) received the men’s soccer Elite 22 Award.
The MIAC Elite 22 Award recognizes the true essence of the term “student-athlete” by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the conference championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. Modeled after the NCAA Elite 90 Award, the MIAC Elite 22 Award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest grade-point average (GPA) in each sport who meets similarly high, sport-specific athletic requirements.
Trace Dobson
In all sports with MIAC team postseason tournaments, including volleyball and soccer, the MIAC Elite 22 Award is presented to the individual with the highest GPA on the active postseason roster of one of the two Playoff championship teams. The MIAC Elite 22 Football Award is presented to the individual nominated for the honor with the highest GPA who helped his team finish in the top two in the MIAC standings. For cross country, the honor is bestowed upon the individual with the highest GPA among the top-15 individual finishers at the conference championship meet, while the accolade in golf is presented to the individual with the highest GPA among the top-10 individual finishers at the MIAC Championships. Each winner must be a sophomore, junior or senior and in at least his or her second season of competition with their current team.
Dobson, a Public Accounting major with a 4.00 GPA and has played in every contest this season for the Black and Gold. The midfielder played a big role in one of the biggest wins of the season for Gustavus, scoring the game-winner in the team’s victory over St. Thomas on Sept. 18, the Tommies only conference loss of the season. In his 22 games, Dobson scored a pair of goals, as well as an assist, and was a key contributor in the team’s MIAC Championship and second round NCAA tournament appearance.