McGill, Naig Named NCC Honor Athletes
May 11, 2007 | General
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Beth McGill and JD Naig of the University of Nebraska at Omaha are among the 14 Honor Athletes recognized by the North Central Conference, according to an announcement by the league office.
McGill, a senior soccer All-American from Omaha, Neb., is one of seven women's student-athletes honored while Naig, a senior three-time national champion wrestler from Emmetsburg, Iowa, is among the seven male athletes recognized.
Each school in the league selected its top male and female student-athletes on the basis of academic performance, athletic ability as well as leadership in campus and community activities. In addition, the student-athletes were required to either graduate this spring or be within 12 hours of graduation. The select group will be honored at the NCC Honor Awards Dinner on May 21 in Sioux Falls, S.D. The NCC Scholar Athlete Award will be presented to a male and female student-athlete who is among the 14 honor candidates announced today.
Aside from McGill, the other female candidates included: Alison Adamson, Augustana (basketball); Michelle Burgard, North Dakota (track and field); Mara McGill, South Dakota (track and field); Kari Hudson, Minnesota State (softball); Brenda Peters, St. Cloud State (swimming and diving); and Katie Winkelman, Minnesota Duluth (basketball).
Beth McGill
Along with Naig, the other male student-athletes included Luke Anderson, Minnesota State (basketball); Michael Greenwood, North Dakota (football); Cody Henriksen, Augustana (wrestling); Matt Hockett, Minnesota Duluth (basketball); Matt Murphy, South Dakota (football) and Adam Sullivan, St. Cloud State (basketball).
McGill earned numerous honors and awards during her three-year soccer career at UNO. She was twice named the Most Valuable Player in the North Central Conference and was a three-time NSCAA third team All-American and three time first team all-Central Region selection.
She leaves as the school's all-time leading scorer with 147 points (58 goals and 31 assists) McGill led the team in 2006 with 22 goals and 12 assists for 56 points. She was named to the all-tournament team at the 2005 NCAA II Tournament as the Mavericks claimed their first national championship. McGill was named the 2005-06 UNO Female Athlete of the Year.
An excellent student, McGill was a two-time NSCAA College Scholar All-American. She carreies a 3.499 cumulative GPA in biology and has been named to Dean's List three times. She also earned the 2006-07 UNO Scholar Athlete Award and was a two- time Academic All American and NCC Commissioners Academic Honor Roll selection.
McGill is involved in numerous community service activities, including participation in campus wide canned food drive, mentoring with Girls Inc, coaching youth soccer teams, volunteering for the Camp Fire USA "After School Youth Program".
McGill has accepted a volunteer one-year internship for grassroot soccer in South Africa where she will be working with youth on HIV/AIDS education through soccer.
JD Naig
Naig is one of the most decorated student-athletes in the tradition-rich Maverick wrestling program history. He became just the third UNO wrestler to earn three individual national championships. He won the 174-pound national title in 2007 earning Most Outstanding Wrestler honors at the national tournament. A four-time All-American, Naig tallied a 16-1 career record in four national tournaments
Naig was also named the 2007 North Central Conference Wrestler of the
Year, finishing the the 2006-07 season with a 42-7 record. He was also named the UNO Wrestler of the Year. Of his 42 wins this season, Naig scored bonus points in 24 of them (15 falls, nine major decisions).
Naig finished his career with a 140-26 mark, the fourth-best in UNO history. A three-time NCAA II North Region champion, Naig did not lose to a Division II wrestler in his final three seasons. He earned championships in 14 tournaments throughout his storied career.
Dominating his conference opponents, Naig earned NCC wrestler of the week honors five times during the 2006-07 season.
Naig carries a 3.3 cumulative GPA in Pre-Chiropractic Medicine and was a Dean's List recipient four times. Naig earned the 2006-07 UNO Scholar
Athlete Award and was a two-time NWCA Academic All American as well as being named to the NCC Commissioners Academic Honor Roll. He was also a recipient of the Remde Academic Scholarship.
Naig was involved in a variety of community service activities, including volunteering at local youth and high school wrestling clinics, visiting hospitals and care centers during the holidays, participating in the
campus wide canned food drive, faculty staff pancake feed, reading to elementary schools, serving meals to the homeless, participating in the Heartland of America Drug Free Walk, and participating in numerous Champs/LifeSkills personal development and career-related seminars.
McGill, a senior soccer All-American from Omaha, Neb., is one of seven women's student-athletes honored while Naig, a senior three-time national champion wrestler from Emmetsburg, Iowa, is among the seven male athletes recognized.
Each school in the league selected its top male and female student-athletes on the basis of academic performance, athletic ability as well as leadership in campus and community activities. In addition, the student-athletes were required to either graduate this spring or be within 12 hours of graduation. The select group will be honored at the NCC Honor Awards Dinner on May 21 in Sioux Falls, S.D. The NCC Scholar Athlete Award will be presented to a male and female student-athlete who is among the 14 honor candidates announced today.
Aside from McGill, the other female candidates included: Alison Adamson, Augustana (basketball); Michelle Burgard, North Dakota (track and field); Mara McGill, South Dakota (track and field); Kari Hudson, Minnesota State (softball); Brenda Peters, St. Cloud State (swimming and diving); and Katie Winkelman, Minnesota Duluth (basketball).
Beth McGill
Along with Naig, the other male student-athletes included Luke Anderson, Minnesota State (basketball); Michael Greenwood, North Dakota (football); Cody Henriksen, Augustana (wrestling); Matt Hockett, Minnesota Duluth (basketball); Matt Murphy, South Dakota (football) and Adam Sullivan, St. Cloud State (basketball).
McGill earned numerous honors and awards during her three-year soccer career at UNO. She was twice named the Most Valuable Player in the North Central Conference and was a three-time NSCAA third team All-American and three time first team all-Central Region selection.
She leaves as the school's all-time leading scorer with 147 points (58 goals and 31 assists) McGill led the team in 2006 with 22 goals and 12 assists for 56 points. She was named to the all-tournament team at the 2005 NCAA II Tournament as the Mavericks claimed their first national championship. McGill was named the 2005-06 UNO Female Athlete of the Year.
An excellent student, McGill was a two-time NSCAA College Scholar All-American. She carreies a 3.499 cumulative GPA in biology and has been named to Dean's List three times. She also earned the 2006-07 UNO Scholar Athlete Award and was a two- time Academic All American and NCC Commissioners Academic Honor Roll selection.
McGill is involved in numerous community service activities, including participation in campus wide canned food drive, mentoring with Girls Inc, coaching youth soccer teams, volunteering for the Camp Fire USA "After School Youth Program".
McGill has accepted a volunteer one-year internship for grassroot soccer in South Africa where she will be working with youth on HIV/AIDS education through soccer.
JD Naig
Naig is one of the most decorated student-athletes in the tradition-rich Maverick wrestling program history. He became just the third UNO wrestler to earn three individual national championships. He won the 174-pound national title in 2007 earning Most Outstanding Wrestler honors at the national tournament. A four-time All-American, Naig tallied a 16-1 career record in four national tournaments
Naig was also named the 2007 North Central Conference Wrestler of the
Year, finishing the the 2006-07 season with a 42-7 record. He was also named the UNO Wrestler of the Year. Of his 42 wins this season, Naig scored bonus points in 24 of them (15 falls, nine major decisions).
Naig finished his career with a 140-26 mark, the fourth-best in UNO history. A three-time NCAA II North Region champion, Naig did not lose to a Division II wrestler in his final three seasons. He earned championships in 14 tournaments throughout his storied career.
Dominating his conference opponents, Naig earned NCC wrestler of the week honors five times during the 2006-07 season.
Naig carries a 3.3 cumulative GPA in Pre-Chiropractic Medicine and was a Dean's List recipient four times. Naig earned the 2006-07 UNO Scholar
Athlete Award and was a two-time NWCA Academic All American as well as being named to the NCC Commissioners Academic Honor Roll. He was also a recipient of the Remde Academic Scholarship.
Naig was involved in a variety of community service activities, including volunteering at local youth and high school wrestling clinics, visiting hospitals and care centers during the holidays, participating in the
campus wide canned food drive, faculty staff pancake feed, reading to elementary schools, serving meals to the homeless, participating in the Heartland of America Drug Free Walk, and participating in numerous Champs/LifeSkills personal development and career-related seminars.
Wednesday, August 26
Wednesday, August 26
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