Photo by: Brad Rempel
Lindahl Academic Center Announce 2023-24 Academic Awards
5/8/2024 11:57:00 AM | Baseball, Athletics, Men's Basketball, Men's Hockey, Women's Hockey, Rowing, Wrestling
Justen Close (Men's Hockey) and Madeline Wethington (Women's Hockey) highlighted the 2023-24 academic awards, announced today by Gopher Athletics and the Lindahl Academic Center. In all, nine academic awards were handed out at the end of the academic calendar year.
The Lindahl Outstanding Student-Athlete Achievement Award is presented to two student-athletes in honor of their classroom and athletics success. Close finished his Gopher career as a two-time Mike Richter Award semifinalist, which goes to the top goaltender in college hockey. Close has cemented his name in the Gopher record books over his five-year career. A three-time All-Big Ten selection, Close is tied for first in career shutouts (13) and career save percentage (.924) and led Minnesota to back-to-back NCAA Frozen Four appearances. On the academic side, he was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. He graduated from the Carlson School of Management in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Business degree majoring in Entrepreneurial Management and will finish a master's degree in Sports Management this spring.
Wethington capped off her Gopher career as a three-time All-WCHA selection after earning WCHA Rookie of the Year in 2019-20. Wethington aided the Gophers to a Frozen Four in 2023, a WCHA regular season championship in 2021-22), and a WCHA tournament championship in 2022-23. She played in 173 career games for the Gophers, which tied a program record. The defender scored 100 career points, ranking seventh in Golden Gopher history by a blueliner. A four-time WCHA All-Academic, and WCHA Scholar Athlete, Wethington graduated with a major in cellular and organismal physiology in spring 2023 and is pursuing a master's in biological sciences.
Wethington and Brady Jurgella (Baseball) have been honored as 2024 Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship recipients. Jurgella is a sports management major and will obtain his undergraduate degree later this month. He will pursue a master's degree in leadership in education.
The Richard "Pinky" McNamara Student-Athlete Achievement Award is given each year to an individual who has inspired all by making an extraordinary effort to succeed despite difficult circumstances, persevering during a time of tremendous adversity, and/or overcoming a great challenge. This year's award winners are Parker Fox (Men's Basketball) and Patrick McKee (Wrestling). Fox came to the University of Minnesota after three years at Northern State in 2021-22. However, back-to-back season-ending knee injuries sidelined him for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 Gopher seasons. In 2023-24, Fox became Minnesota's sixth man and was one of just two Gophers to play in all 34 games and averaged 14 minutes, 5.1 points and 2.9 rebounds.
McKee overcame offseason surgery to become an NCAA qualifier for the fourth time in his career. The Gophers' starter at 125 pounds, McKee finished as runner-up at the Big Ten Championships, the best result of his career. On the season, he went 16-8 overall, 8-4 in duals and 4-3 in the Big Ten. Five of his wins were by pin, four by tech fall and one by major decision.
The Gladys Brooks and Norman Borlaug Commitment to Academic Excellence Awards are given annually to recognize a women's and men's athletic team demonstrating the highest commitment to academic excellence. Men's basketball received the Norman Borlaug Award this year. Beginning in spring of 2022, men's basketball has obtained 21 degrees, including 12 at the master's level. In addition, Minnesota had a program-record eight Academic All-Big Ten selections this past season. The team also had back-to-back semesters of program-record cumulative GPA of 3.36 in the spring of 2023 and 3.37 GPA in the fall of 2023.
Rowing was awarded the Gladys Brooks Commitment to Academic Excellence Award. Minnesota rowing has showcased academic excellence again in 2023-24 and thanks to a 3.48 grade point average over the fall, have maintained a 3.44 GPA or higher in each of the last eight semesters. The Gophers saw 13 student-athletes post a perfect GPA last fall with another six reaching at least a 3.90. Last year, the program had 14 named to the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar list and 28 earned a spot on the Academic All-Big Ten Team, while Annie Moen landed on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.
The Tom H. Swain Campus Recognition Award is presented each year to an office or member of the University community who has had a positive impact on our student-athletes and who has supported the mission of the Lindahl Academic Center to help students in their academic pursuits. Bob McMaster, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education is being awarded this year's Tom H. Swain Campus Recognition Award.
The Lindahl Outstanding Student-Athlete Achievement Award is presented to two student-athletes in honor of their classroom and athletics success. Close finished his Gopher career as a two-time Mike Richter Award semifinalist, which goes to the top goaltender in college hockey. Close has cemented his name in the Gopher record books over his five-year career. A three-time All-Big Ten selection, Close is tied for first in career shutouts (13) and career save percentage (.924) and led Minnesota to back-to-back NCAA Frozen Four appearances. On the academic side, he was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. He graduated from the Carlson School of Management in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Business degree majoring in Entrepreneurial Management and will finish a master's degree in Sports Management this spring.
Wethington capped off her Gopher career as a three-time All-WCHA selection after earning WCHA Rookie of the Year in 2019-20. Wethington aided the Gophers to a Frozen Four in 2023, a WCHA regular season championship in 2021-22), and a WCHA tournament championship in 2022-23. She played in 173 career games for the Gophers, which tied a program record. The defender scored 100 career points, ranking seventh in Golden Gopher history by a blueliner. A four-time WCHA All-Academic, and WCHA Scholar Athlete, Wethington graduated with a major in cellular and organismal physiology in spring 2023 and is pursuing a master's in biological sciences.
Wethington and Brady Jurgella (Baseball) have been honored as 2024 Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship recipients. Jurgella is a sports management major and will obtain his undergraduate degree later this month. He will pursue a master's degree in leadership in education.
The Richard "Pinky" McNamara Student-Athlete Achievement Award is given each year to an individual who has inspired all by making an extraordinary effort to succeed despite difficult circumstances, persevering during a time of tremendous adversity, and/or overcoming a great challenge. This year's award winners are Parker Fox (Men's Basketball) and Patrick McKee (Wrestling). Fox came to the University of Minnesota after three years at Northern State in 2021-22. However, back-to-back season-ending knee injuries sidelined him for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 Gopher seasons. In 2023-24, Fox became Minnesota's sixth man and was one of just two Gophers to play in all 34 games and averaged 14 minutes, 5.1 points and 2.9 rebounds.
McKee overcame offseason surgery to become an NCAA qualifier for the fourth time in his career. The Gophers' starter at 125 pounds, McKee finished as runner-up at the Big Ten Championships, the best result of his career. On the season, he went 16-8 overall, 8-4 in duals and 4-3 in the Big Ten. Five of his wins were by pin, four by tech fall and one by major decision.
The Gladys Brooks and Norman Borlaug Commitment to Academic Excellence Awards are given annually to recognize a women's and men's athletic team demonstrating the highest commitment to academic excellence. Men's basketball received the Norman Borlaug Award this year. Beginning in spring of 2022, men's basketball has obtained 21 degrees, including 12 at the master's level. In addition, Minnesota had a program-record eight Academic All-Big Ten selections this past season. The team also had back-to-back semesters of program-record cumulative GPA of 3.36 in the spring of 2023 and 3.37 GPA in the fall of 2023.
Rowing was awarded the Gladys Brooks Commitment to Academic Excellence Award. Minnesota rowing has showcased academic excellence again in 2023-24 and thanks to a 3.48 grade point average over the fall, have maintained a 3.44 GPA or higher in each of the last eight semesters. The Gophers saw 13 student-athletes post a perfect GPA last fall with another six reaching at least a 3.90. Last year, the program had 14 named to the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar list and 28 earned a spot on the Academic All-Big Ten Team, while Annie Moen landed on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.
The Tom H. Swain Campus Recognition Award is presented each year to an office or member of the University community who has had a positive impact on our student-athletes and who has supported the mission of the Lindahl Academic Center to help students in their academic pursuits. Bob McMaster, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education is being awarded this year's Tom H. Swain Campus Recognition Award.