Briar Cliff University

The NAIA Champions of Character Program was established to help create an environment in which every NAIA student athlete, coach, official and spectator is committed to the true spirit of competition through the five core character values. These include respect, integrity, responsibility, servant leadership and sportsmanship. The NAIA measures institutions on a demonstrated commitment to Champions of Character and earn points in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition and character promotion.

Institutions earn points based on exceptional student-athlete grade point averages and by having minimal to no ejections during competition throughout the course of the academic year
Briar Cliff University is committed to being an NAIA Champions of Character Institution. In addition, to earn recognition, Briar Cliff must take action steps in all five core character values and self-report its accomplished goals.

Each year, all Briar Cliff athletes and coaches sign a pledge to be Champions of Character by living out the NAIA’s five core character values on and off the field. BCU strives to create a positive gameday atmosphere and reminds fans of its commitment to the Champions of Character Initiative with pregame messages.

Briar Cliff recognizes the student-athletes that display the five core values of the NAIA each year with the Champions of Character Banquet and Awards Ceremony. Honors include Athlete of the Year, Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the Marian Pesky Champion of Character. The Champion of Character award is named after longtime Charger coach and Champions of Character coordinator Marian Pesky. 

Thompson Dean Drug is a proud local supporter of Briar Cliff's Champions of Character initiative.


On October 20th of this year, The Briar Cliff Athletics LEAD Team hosted "Trunk or Treat" at Blessed Sacrament. Various student-athletes across multiple sports participated in the annual event.

Year	Awards
2025	Best Play: Matthew Stilwill, Men's Basketball, game-winner against Morningside Best Male Competition: Jake Chronic against Hastings (Baseball) - Carlos Lopez against Doane (Football) Best Female Competition: Avery Beller (Volleyball) Breakthrough Athlete of the Year (Male): Lucas Monteiro (Men's Soccer) Breakthrough Athlete of the Year (Female): Emily Moran (Women's Soccer) Comeback Athlete of the Year: Brock Saya (Football/Baseball) Most Inspirational Athlete of the Year: Arthur Rebeschini (Men's Soccer) Male Freshman Athlete of the Year: Jaxson Wingert (Men's Basketball) Female Freshman Athlete of the Year: Aubrey Hoeft (Volleyball) Male Athlete of the Year: Wilton George (Track and Field) Female Athlete of the Year: Mallie McNair (Women's Basketball) Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Cade Pepper Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Taryn Nothem Marian Pesky Champion of Character (Male): Nicholas Scheffers Marian Pesky Champion of Character (Female): Maliah Kleinhesselink
Year	Awards
2024	Best Play: Matthew Stilwill, Men's Basketball, game-winner against #12 Northwestern Best Competition: Kamron Dobbs, Esports (League of Legends) Best Upset: Women's basketball upset victory over #8 Vanguard to advance to final site of NAIA National Tournament Breakthrough Athlete of the Year (Female): Rachel Langel, Women's Basketball Breakthrough Athlete of the Year (Male): Dante Rigal, Wrestling Comeback Athlete of the Year: Jaime Rowlands, Women's Soccer Most Inspirational Athlete: Ondine Manceau, Women's Soccer Freshman Athlete of the Year (Female): Devondra Sands, Track and Field Freshman Athlete of the Year (Male): Andrew Buchanan, Men's Soccer Athlete of the Year (Female): Hope Wagner, Track and Field Athlete of the Year (Male): CaRon Watson, Wrestling Scholar-Athlete (Female): Gemma White, Women's Soccer Scholar-Athlete (Male): Caleb Sassman, Track and Field, Cross Country Marian Pesky Champion of Character (Female): Grace Johanson, Women's Golf Marian Pesky Champion of Character (Male): Jeremy Koenck, Football
Year	Awards
2023	Best Play: Hope Wagner, Track & Field Best Competition: Katelyn Kotlarz 13-strikeout, no-hitter against William Woods Best Upset: Women's basketball GPAC Championship win over #4 Dordt Breakthrough Athlete of the Year (Female): Payton Slaughter, WBB Breakthrough Athlete of the Year (Male): Alton Allen, Wrestling Comeback Athlete of the Year: Kyler Steinborn, Baseball Most Inspirational Athlete: Alton Allen, Wrestling Freshman Athlete of the Year (Female): Mady Soumare, WSOC Freshman Athlete of the Year (Male): Nicolas Karlsen, MSOC Athlete of the Year (Female): Konnor Sudmann, WBB Athlete of the Year (Male): Brett Tinker, MBB Scholar-Athlete (Female): Kaegan Held, WBB Scholar-Athlete (Male): Quinten Evers, Baseball Marian Pesky Champion of Character (Female): Kennedy Benne, WBB Marian Pesky Champion of Character (Male): Alex Kremer, Baseball
2022	Best Play: Sami Wasmund, Women's Volleyball (watch it HERE) Best Competition: Women's Soccer GPAC Championship Best Upset: Max Barajas vs. #6 Edrich Nortje Freshman Athlete of the Year (Female): Helene Getz Bergmo Freshman Athlete of the Year (Male): Cam Riemer Breakthrough Athlete of the Year (Female): Kayla Guerrero Breakthrough Athlete of the Year (Male): Aaron Okoro Comeback Athlete of the Year: Flor Suarez Most Inspirational Athlete: Walter Hunt Scholar-Athlete (Female): Mya Hendry Scholar-Athlete (Male): Dawson Forcella Athlete of the Year (Female): Taylor Alkire Athlete of the Year (Male): Ben Jefferies Marian Pesky Champion of Character (Female): Kennedy Andersen Marian Pesky Champion of Character (Male): Quinten Vasa
2021	Best Play: Payton Slaughter, Women's Basketball (Watch it HERE) Best Competition (Male): Ben Jefferies Best Competition (Female): Alexis Westercamp Best Upset: Women’s Basketball vs. Morningside Female Freshman of the Year: Kennedy Benne Male Freshman of the Year: Jared Sitzmann Female Breakthrough Athlete of the Year: Taylor Hill Male Breakthrough Athlete of the Year: Alpha Faye Comeback Athlete of the Year: Mya Hendry Most Inspirational Athlete: Chris Paulsen Female Scholar-Athlete: Luisa Ramirez Huertas Male Scholar-Athlete: Ryan Harrel Female Athlete of the Year: Flor Suarez Male Athlete of the Year: Ben Jefferies Marian Pesky Female Champion of Character: Catherine Leonard Marian Pesky Male Champion of Character: Raul Perez Ruiz
2020	Best Play: Alyssa Carley (watch it HERE) Best Game: Jackson Lamb Best Upset: Men’s Basketball vs. #1 Morningside Female Freshman of the Year: Konnor Sudmann Male Freshman of the Year: Jalen Bowman Female Breakthrough Athlete of the Year: Alayna Allen Male Breakthrough Athlete of the Year: Kory Woodruff Comeback Athlete of the Year: Ethan Freidel Most Inspirational Athlete: Andrea Norton Female Scholar-Athlete: Erin Gaitsch Male Scholar-Athlete: Collin Glazek Female Athlete of the Year: Gisselle Jimenez Co-Male Athlete of the Year: Jackson Lamb & Robert Robinson Marian Pesky Female Champion of Character: Katie Glover Marian Pesky Male Champion of Character: Andy Geelan
2019	Female Athlete of the Year: Bailey Nichols Male Athlete of the Year: Jay Wolfe Coach of Character: Joe Privitere Most Inspirational Athlete: Erich Erdman Comeback Athlete: Brad Cagle Female Scholar-Athlete: Olivia Matz Male Scholar-Athlete: Zach Kollasch Female Champion of Character: Abby Brinkman Male Champion of Character: D'earion Stokes
2018	Female Athlete of the Year: Johanna Vaske Male Athlete of the Year: Prichard Sibanda Coach of Character: Ben Irlbeck Most Inspirational Athlete: Zach Vanderah Female Scholar-Athlete: Laura Barry Male Scholar-Athlete: Logan Adam Female Champion of Character: Jamie Jacobsen Male Champion of Character: Jared Betz
2017	Female Athlete of the Year: Taylor Minger Male Athlete of the Year: Bryan Forbes Newcomer of the Year: Peyton Schirman Most Inspirational Athlete: Kyle Robison Female Scholar-Athlete: Mariah Morrisette Male Scholar-Athlete: Dylan Janecek Female Champion of Character: Megan Glover Male Champion of Character: Will King
2016	Female Athlete of the Year: Jessi Corrick Co-Male Athlete of the Year: Clay Harreld & Robert Iron Shell Most Inspirational Athlete: Mitchell Schleis Female Scholar-Athlete: Mariah Morrisette Male Scholar-Athlete: Ron Tortorello Female Champion of Character: Lexi Henschke Male Champion of Character: Mitchell Schleis
2015	Female Athlete of the Year: Slone Masters Male Athlete of the Year: Raheem Cowan Most Inspirational Athlete: Matt Berg Female Scholar-Athlete: Mattie Murren Male Scholar-Athlete: Tanner Schumacher Female Athlete of Character: Abigail Chihak Male Athlete of Character: Mitchell Schleis
2014	Female Athlete of the Year: Monica Boeding Male Athlete of the Year: Raheem Cowan Most Inspirational Athlete: Abram Reynolds Female Scholar-Athlete: Abby Buckhouse Male Scholar-Athlete: Dominic Wetzbarger Female Athlete of Character: Grace McElroy Male Athlete of Character: Mark Samuelson
2013	Female Athlete of the Year: Kelsey Evans Male Athlete of the Year: Raheem Cowan Most Inspirational Athlete: Tara Cockerill Female Champion of Character: Jayna Specht Male Champion of Character: Bryce Harshman
2012	Female Athlete of Character: Liz Benjamin Male Athlete of Character: Bryce Kinard
2011	Female Athlete of Character: Allison Holtgrewe Male Athlete Character: Thomas Hunt
2010	Female Athlete Award: Samantha Bock Male Athlete Award: Jeremy Schnidler Female Student Fan: Rose Crimmins Male Student Fan: Jason Wesselman Adult Fan: Dave Arens
2009	Female Athlete Award: Rosemary Bernth Male Athlete Award: Luke Sachau Female Student Fan: Samantha Bock Male Student Fan: Tony Cosentino Adult Fan: Jay Gunnels
2008	Female Athlete Award: Kayla Boyd and Emily Dvorak Male Athlete Award: Neil Rohe Female Student Fan: Kristiana Ruhlman Male Student Fan: Dennis Klein Adult Fan: Chabree Batt
2007	Female Award: Megan McMillen Male Athlete Award: Roger Sandau Female Student Fan: Kristina Ruhlman Male Student Fan: Dillon Turpin Adult Fan: Paul Olson
2004	Female Athlete Award: Melissa Wilmes Male Athlete Award: Matt Mueller Female Student Fan: Shelly Heinen Male Student Fan: Kenny Beyers Adult Fan: Sr. Janet May
2003	Female Athlete Award: Sarah Niles and Kendra Welp Male Athlete Award: Tim Leuschen Female Student Fan: Katie LeFebvre Male Student Fan: Josh Rickert Adult Fan: Dr. Candi Coffin
2001	Adult Fan: Sr. Arnold