Kansas City, Mo. - The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) proudly announces the 2025 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes for winter sports. This honor recognizes student-athletes in each of the winter sports who have excelled academically, including men's basketball, women's basketball, men's bowling, women's bowling, competitive cheer, competitive dance, men's swimming and diving, women's swimming and diving, men's wrestling and women's wrestling.
Kansas Wesleyan had 30 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes in the winter season.
Women's Basketball led the way among the winter sports with 12 honorees earning the honor. Men's Basketball had seven, followed by Competitive Cheer, Competitive Dance and Men's Bowling with three each and Women's Bowling with two.
KWU had the second highest total in the KCAC behind Ottawa with 33. KWU had just three less despite having two less sports factoring into the totals. Friends was third with 23, York fourth with 22, Tabor fifth with 20, Avila sixth with 16, Sterling seventh with 14, Bethel eighth with 13, McPherson and Southwestern tied for ninth with 10, and Evangel was 11th with seven.
There were three KCAC institutions - Bethany, Oklahoma Wesleyan and Saint Mary - that did not submit any winter Scholar-Athletes.
To qualify as a Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete, students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, appear on the eligibility certificate for their sport, and have attended their institution for at least one full year. This year, the list features an impressive number of student-athletes who have met these rigorous standards.