Photo by: Kayden Kircher
St. Cloud State Athletics and SAAC Hosts First-Ever Awards Celebration at Annual Senior Send-Off Event
4/28/2026 4:13:00 PM | Baseball, Women's Cross Country, General, Men's Basketball, Men's Hockey, Softball, Women's Basketball, Women's Hockey, Women's Soccer, Wrestling, Volleyball, Women's Swim & Dive, Women's Track & Field, Women's Tennis, Men's Soccer
Nine awards handed out, 90 seniors honored on April 21
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State Athletics handed out its first-ever department-wide athletic achievement awards in conjunction with the SCSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at the department's annual Senior Send-Off event on Tuesday, April 21 in Ritsche Auditorium.
For the first time ever, awards were given out to honor the best in Huskies Athletics from the 2025-26 school year. Coaches and the Athletics Communications staff nominated student-athletes, and each award was then whittled down to four finalists before SAAC and the coaches/staff voted to determine the winners.
In total, there were nine awards handed out, ranging from Male and Female Athlete of the Year for team and individual sports to the Highlight of the Year.
Additionally, SCSU Athletics recognized its 90 seniors for their contributions to the department over the past four-plus years.
Coach of the Year
Quincy Henderson (Men's Basketball) – Coach Henderson was named the NSIC Men's Basketball Coach of the Year and guided the Huskies to the second most wins in a season in program history (26). He also helped SCSU to earn its first regular season NSIC Championship since 2003, first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019 and NCAA Tournament win since 2018.
Female Athlete of the Year (Team Sport)
Ella Thompson (volleyball, redshirt senior, Lakeville, Minn.) – Thompson was named an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Second Team All-American and a First Team All-Central Region performer by the AVCA and the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA). Additionally, she was the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year and a first team all-conference selection.
Female Athlete of the Year (Individual Sport)
Hallie Drossel (swim & dive, sophomore, Melrose, Minn.) – Drossel was the NSIC Preseason Swimmer of the Year and conference champion in the 100 breaststroke. She also helped the 200 medley and 400 medley relay teams to second place finishes at the NSIC Championships.
Male Athlete of the Year (Team Sport)
Wyatt Hawks (basketball, junior, White Bear Lake, Minn.) – Hawks was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-NSIC selection. Additionally, he was named a D2CCA Second Team All-Central Region performer and was a member of the NSIC All-Tournament Team. For the season, he averaged 12.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game.
Male Athlete of the Year (Individual Sport)
Joel Jesuroga (wrestling, redshirt junior, Pleasant Hill, Iowa) – Jesuroga finished the season with a 24-1 record including a 9-1 mark against ranked opponents. He was named a First Team All-NSIC performer, was the Super Region V champion and earned all-America honors at the national meet after finishing as the runner-up at 157 pounds.
Team Performance of the Year
Volleyball – SCSU Volleyball won its second consecutive NSIC Tournament Championship after taking down the No. 13, No. 2 and No. 5 teams in the country to punch their ticket to their sixth straight NCAA Tournament. The Huskies also advanced to their second straight Sweet 16 (Central Region Championship), tying the program record for NCAA Tournament wins in a season (two), after knocking off the No. 2 team in the country and tournament host, Nebraska Kearney, on its home floor in the Round of 32.
Individual Performance of the Year
Justyce Porter (softball, senior, Kent, Wash.) – Porter threw just the fifth perfect game in the history of St. Cloud State Softball against Bridgeport (Pa.) on Feb. 28 and the ninth no-hitter against Sioux Falls on April 12. She struck out seven batters out in her perfect 7.0 inning outing and six batters in her no hitter. Porter became just the second Husky to pitch multiple solo no-hitters over a career and the first to do so in one season.
Highlight of the Year
Wyatt Hawks (Men's Basketball, junior, White Bear Lake, Minn.) – With a three-point lead and the ball and a regular season conference championship on the line on the road at Augustana on February 14, Hawks jammed home a putback dunk to grow the SCSU lead to five late in the game. Out of the ensuing timeout, Hawks swatted a layup attempt off the glass and leaked out for a breakaway dunk, sealing the Huskies first regular season conference championship since 2003.
Husky of the Year
Claire Salzer (Women's Swim & Dive, senior, Oshkosh, Wis.) – Salzer, a biomedical science major and psychology minor, currently serves as the Vice President of SCSU's SAAC where she has led initiatives promoting mental health awareness, wellness and community engagement, including campus clean-ups and advocacy campaigns. Additionally, Salzer was a member of the Women's Swim & Dive leadership committee where she helped foster unity, provided guidance to teammates and lead by example.
In addition to her leadership roles, she has balanced multiple campus jobs, including working in the ticket office at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center and in the athletics weight room. Outside of campus, she worked as a nursing assistant at Ecumen, supporting both rehabilitation patients and individuals in memory care. Salzer also volunteers in the emergency room at St. Cloud hospital once week.
Salzer is also passionate about scientific research and conducted research on Synura petersenii, a type of algae, focusing on its potential for bio-derived materials. This work allowed her an opportunity to present her work internationally at a conference in Ghent, Belgium.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Athletics, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the Huskies on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
For the first time ever, awards were given out to honor the best in Huskies Athletics from the 2025-26 school year. Coaches and the Athletics Communications staff nominated student-athletes, and each award was then whittled down to four finalists before SAAC and the coaches/staff voted to determine the winners.
In total, there were nine awards handed out, ranging from Male and Female Athlete of the Year for team and individual sports to the Highlight of the Year.
Additionally, SCSU Athletics recognized its 90 seniors for their contributions to the department over the past four-plus years.
Coach of the Year
Quincy Henderson (Men's Basketball) – Coach Henderson was named the NSIC Men's Basketball Coach of the Year and guided the Huskies to the second most wins in a season in program history (26). He also helped SCSU to earn its first regular season NSIC Championship since 2003, first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019 and NCAA Tournament win since 2018.
Female Athlete of the Year (Team Sport)
Ella Thompson (volleyball, redshirt senior, Lakeville, Minn.) – Thompson was named an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Second Team All-American and a First Team All-Central Region performer by the AVCA and the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA). Additionally, she was the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year and a first team all-conference selection.
Female Athlete of the Year (Individual Sport)
Hallie Drossel (swim & dive, sophomore, Melrose, Minn.) – Drossel was the NSIC Preseason Swimmer of the Year and conference champion in the 100 breaststroke. She also helped the 200 medley and 400 medley relay teams to second place finishes at the NSIC Championships.
Male Athlete of the Year (Team Sport)
Wyatt Hawks (basketball, junior, White Bear Lake, Minn.) – Hawks was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-NSIC selection. Additionally, he was named a D2CCA Second Team All-Central Region performer and was a member of the NSIC All-Tournament Team. For the season, he averaged 12.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game.
Male Athlete of the Year (Individual Sport)
Joel Jesuroga (wrestling, redshirt junior, Pleasant Hill, Iowa) – Jesuroga finished the season with a 24-1 record including a 9-1 mark against ranked opponents. He was named a First Team All-NSIC performer, was the Super Region V champion and earned all-America honors at the national meet after finishing as the runner-up at 157 pounds.
Team Performance of the Year
Volleyball – SCSU Volleyball won its second consecutive NSIC Tournament Championship after taking down the No. 13, No. 2 and No. 5 teams in the country to punch their ticket to their sixth straight NCAA Tournament. The Huskies also advanced to their second straight Sweet 16 (Central Region Championship), tying the program record for NCAA Tournament wins in a season (two), after knocking off the No. 2 team in the country and tournament host, Nebraska Kearney, on its home floor in the Round of 32.
Individual Performance of the Year
Justyce Porter (softball, senior, Kent, Wash.) – Porter threw just the fifth perfect game in the history of St. Cloud State Softball against Bridgeport (Pa.) on Feb. 28 and the ninth no-hitter against Sioux Falls on April 12. She struck out seven batters out in her perfect 7.0 inning outing and six batters in her no hitter. Porter became just the second Husky to pitch multiple solo no-hitters over a career and the first to do so in one season.
Highlight of the Year
Wyatt Hawks (Men's Basketball, junior, White Bear Lake, Minn.) – With a three-point lead and the ball and a regular season conference championship on the line on the road at Augustana on February 14, Hawks jammed home a putback dunk to grow the SCSU lead to five late in the game. Out of the ensuing timeout, Hawks swatted a layup attempt off the glass and leaked out for a breakaway dunk, sealing the Huskies first regular season conference championship since 2003.
Husky of the Year
Claire Salzer (Women's Swim & Dive, senior, Oshkosh, Wis.) – Salzer, a biomedical science major and psychology minor, currently serves as the Vice President of SCSU's SAAC where she has led initiatives promoting mental health awareness, wellness and community engagement, including campus clean-ups and advocacy campaigns. Additionally, Salzer was a member of the Women's Swim & Dive leadership committee where she helped foster unity, provided guidance to teammates and lead by example.
In addition to her leadership roles, she has balanced multiple campus jobs, including working in the ticket office at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center and in the athletics weight room. Outside of campus, she worked as a nursing assistant at Ecumen, supporting both rehabilitation patients and individuals in memory care. Salzer also volunteers in the emergency room at St. Cloud hospital once week.
Salzer is also passionate about scientific research and conducted research on Synura petersenii, a type of algae, focusing on its potential for bio-derived materials. This work allowed her an opportunity to present her work internationally at a conference in Ghent, Belgium.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Athletics, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the Huskies on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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