[Click Here for PDF Release]

Danielle McCawley of Nebraska-Omaha and Frank Leibfarth of South Dakota were named recipients of the 2008 NCC Scholar-Athlete Award as part of the NCC Celebration Dinner at Ramkota Hotel in Sioux Falls, S.D. Saturday evening.

The award is given annually to one male and one female senior student-athlete who distinguish themselves through academic performance, athletic ability and community activities.

The recipients of the NCC Scholar-Athlete Award are selected by the league's institutional representatives from the NCC Honor Athletes announced in May. Each school selects one male and one female student-athlete for the Honor Athlete recognition.

Here is a summary of the recipients' achievements:

Danielle McCawley, Nebraska-Omaha, Soccer, Ralston, Neb. - Honors and Awards: Third-team NSCAA/adidas All-American...2006 & 2007 All-North Central Conference; 2007 NCC MVP; 2006 & 2007 NCC All-Academic Team; 2007 CoSIDA Academic All-District...2005, 2006 & 2007 NCC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll..2006 Second Team NSCAA College Scholar All-American...2006 First Team, NSCAA All-Central Region...2007: Named to the NSCAA/adidas Division II third-team All-America squad...Was the North Central Conference MVP after scoring eight goals and three assists for 19 points...Also named to the first-team all-region team...Made the Academic All-NCC team for the third year in a row, as well as first-team all-region honors, with a 3.997 GPA...2006: Starting defender in all 22 games...Helped lead the Maverick defense to 15 shutouts...Recorded two assists on the season...Tallied an assist in the Mavericks' 5-0 shutout over NCAA Tournament qualifer Missouri Southern on 9-3-06...Earned All-North Central Conference and first team NSCAA All-Central Region honors...Named to the NCC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll...Earned second team NSCAA College Scholar All-American honors as well as first team Academic All-NCC accolades...2005: Played in and started all 22 games as a sophomore midfielder...Named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Disstrict VII second team, the Academic All-North Central Conference team and the NCC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll with a perfect 4.00 GPA...Finished the season witth four points off a goal and two assists...Assisted on thhe game-tying goal against Franklin Pierce in the NCAA semifinal on 12-1-05...2004: Played and started in 25 games as a freshman defender...scored a goal and added an assist 99-12-04 in a Maverick 4-1 win over Central Missouri...Finished the year with one goal and three assists for five points...Personal: Full name is Danielle Lee McCawley...Born on November 16, 1985...parents are John and Laura McCawley...Majoring in mathematics with a 3.997 GPA.

Frank Leibfarth, South Dakota, Football, Yankton, S.D. - Has a 3.949 GPA in chemistry and physics...One of the leaders for the Coyote Football Team, which had a 6-5 record in 2007...Named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first team for two straight years....Also been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VII College Division first team and he is a two-time Academic All-NCC selection....Was selected to the 2006 USA Today All-USA College Academic Team, a squad that is composed of 20 students from all colleges and universities across the nation...Two-time selection on the NCC All-Academic Football Team, he scored 75 points for USD...Finished his career tied for the USD career record for points scored. He tied Jason Leber's (1993-96) record of 236 career points...Made 12 field goals this season and was a perfect 39-of-39 on extra point attempts...Against Winona State this season, made a career-best 52-yard field goal...Has been named to the NCC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll for three straight years...A Goldwater Scholar, he is the only Coyote student athlete (just seventh USD student overall) to ever earn that honor...In 2005, completed a summer National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates at Columbia University...Named the USD Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year this spring.

Other female Honor Athletes considered for the award were Danielle Beckstrand, Minnesota Duluth (volleyball); Lynndi Decker, Minnesota State (softball); Heidi Evans, North Dakota (cross country/track & field); Ashley Homan, St. Cloud State (softball); Becky Schulz, Augustana (track & field); Jill Smolczyk, South Dakota (diving).

Other male Honor Athletes considered for the award were Jared Clementson, Minnesota Duluth (cross country/track & field); David Dreas, St. Cloud State (basketball); Weston Dressler, North Dakota (football); Ben Hochstein, Nebraska-Omaha (football); Frank Leibfarth, South Dakota (football); Jason Rhoten, Minnesota State (wrestling); Ian Thomas, Augustana (basketball).

McCawley, the second UNO female honoree, is the 27th female overall honoree while Leibfarth, the fourth male USD honoree, is the 30th male honoree overall. The only other UNO female student-athlete to claim the award was softball player Tara Buzzell in 1999. The last male recipient for USD was basketball player Jeremy Kudera in 2001. 

Here is a look at the previous NCC Scholar-Athlete Award recipients:

Male Honoree

1982 Jon Lundberg, Augustana, wrestling
1983 Jerus Campbell, South Dakota, football
1984 Kirk Hutton, Nebraska-Omaha, football
1985 Brian Bachmeier, North Dakota State, baseball
1986 John Kelzenberg, Morningside, basketball/baseball
1987 Paul Limburg, Augustana, baseball
1988 Dan Sonnck, South Dakota State, football
1989 Joe Regnier, North Dakota State, basketball
1990 David Gubbrud, Augustana, football
1991 Kris Presler, North Dakota, wrestling
1992 Kevin Tetzlaff, South Dakota State, football
1993 Tim Gelinske, North Dakota, football
1994 Arden Beachy, North Dakota State, football/track & field
1995 Bryan Schwartz, Augustana, football
1996 Tim Tibesar, North Dakota, football
1997 Jason Sempsrott, South Dakota State, basketball
1998 Sean Fredericks, North Dakota State, football
1999 Matt Hoyt, South Dakota, cross country/track & field; Ryan Marx, St. Cloud State, wrestling
2000 Corte McGuffey, Northern Colorado, football
2001 Jeremy Kudera, South Dakota, basketball
2002 Josh Ranek, South Dakota State, football
2003 Tyler Bryant, South Dakota State, wrestling; Kelby Klosterman, North Dakota, football
2004 Sebastian Andersson, North Dakota, swimming; Alex Carlson, St. Cloud State, basketball
2005 Aaron Graumann, Augustana, wrestling
2006 Ryan Koch, St. Cloud State, football/track & field
2007 Michael Greenwood, North Dakota, football
2008 Frank Leibfarth, South Dakota, football

Female Honoree

1983 Lori Bocklund, South Dakota State, track & field/xc
1984 Karrin Wallen, South Dakota, basketball
1985 Kim Edwards, North Dakota, swimming & diving
1986 Janie Owens, North Dakota, swimming & diving
1987 Jean Misterek, South Dakota, basketball
1988 Lisa Walters, Minnesota State, Mankato, basketball
1989 Kristi Kremer, North Dakota State, basketball
1990 Julie Eisenchenk, St. Cloud State, track & field
1991 Bridget Lindquist, Augustana, basketball
1992 Lisa Ristau, North Dakota State, track & field
1993 Dana Nielsen, Augustana, basketball
1994 Heidi Morlock, Augustana, basketball
1995 Diane Klein, Augustana, volleyball/basketball
1996 Jeree Carlson, Morningside, softball
1997 Ann Sieckert, Augustana, volleyball
1998 Andrea Jeseritz, North Dakota State, track & field
1999 Tara Buzzell, Nebraska-Omaha, softball
2000 Jane Even, North Dakota State, basketball
2001 Jennifer Higgins, St. Cloud State, track & field/basketball
2002 Jill Theeler, North Dakota State, track & field
2003 Julia Frie, South Dakota, basketball
2004 Jackie Hingst, Augustana, volleyball; Mandy Koupal, South Dakota, basketball
2005 Heather Hamilton, Minnesota Duluth, track & field/x-c
2006 Lindsey Dietz, Minnesota Duluth, basketball
2007 Mara McGill, South Dakota, track & field
2008 Danielle McCawley, Nebraska-Omaha, soccer

#NCC#