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2012 DSU Athletics annual awards announced
April 18, 2012
MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State University held their annual Honors Banquet Tuesday night (April 17) at Dakota Prairie Playhouse. The most outstanding male and female athletes, Dusty Andersen Memorial and NAIA Champions of Character awards were given out.
A junior from Hill City, S.D., Andy Coy was selected for the Most Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year award. Most recently, he captured the men's 1000-meter title in the NAIA Indoor Track and Field national meet on March 3 in Geneva, Ohio. As a result, Coy was named to NAIA Indoor Track and Field All-American athlete. He became the first DSU men's indoor track and field athlete in program history to capture a national champion in an individual event.
Currently, Coy is a four-time NAIA All-American athlete, earning the status for indoor track in 2010, 2011 and 2012, and for outdoor track in 2010. He was named to All-Conference a total of six times (twice each in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track). He also competed in the NAIA national meet in each sport (cross country, indoor track and outdoor track) during his career at Dakota State.
Coy has also been recognized for his academic achievements by being named as 2011 Daktronics-NAIA Cross Country Scholar-Athlete. He was also recognized as a Dakota Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete. Coy was voted by DSU head coaches for the annual athletic award in Champions of Character (2011).
Andy is the son of Rusty and Cindy Coy of Hill City, S.D. He is majoring in Biology at Dakota State University.
The Most Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year award goes to Stephanie Kruggel. She finished her stellar four-year volleyball career at Dakota State and earned numerous athletic and academic honors.
Kruggel, a senior Elementary Education major, recorded her 1000th career kill at Dakota State last fall on Oct. 22 versus Oklahoma Wesleyan. She helped the Trojans to their most wins since 2005 and in qualifying for the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) conference tournament in Phoenix, Ariz. Her abilities on the court were recognized when she was named to the 2011 A.I.I. All-Conference First team and 2011 A.I.I. Volleyball All-Tournament team.
Kruggel was named to the Capital One Academic All-District Third Team and was named a 2011 Daktronics-NAIA Volleyball Scholar-Athlete, an award she has earned twice. She also earned the annual Champions of Character award.
Stephanie is the daughter of Gary and Lori Kruggel of Winthrop, Minn.
Spencer Adams was selected for the Dusty Andersen award for his outstanding accomplishments in men's basketball. He was with the Trojan men's basketball team for three years. Adams helped the Trojans capture their first-ever A.I.I. Division II Men's Basketball Tournament Championship. As a result, DSU qualified for the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament for the first time since 1992. He helped DSU produce their most wins since 1992.
Adams was named to A.I.I. All-Conference Second Team in recognition of his efforts. He averaged 12.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in his three-year stellar career with DSU. He is the third-best career field goal percentage shooter in the DSU school record book with 45.1 percent.
Spencer is the son of Roosevelt Johnson and Felicia Adams of Champaign, Ill. He is a senior Physical Education major at Dakota State University.
The annual Champions of Character award is presented to student-athletes who represent the NAIA five core character values of respect, servant leadership, integrity, sportsmanship and responsibility. DSU's student-athletes enthusiastically embrace the program and are involved in a variety of activities within the community and the campus. The DSU Athletic Department recognized one student-athlete in each sport and they are:
- Volleyball: Stephanie Kruggel
- Women's Track/Cross Country: Sara Schultz
- Men's Track/Cross Country: Ryan Gimbel
- Softball: Lexy Miller
- Football: John Niesen
- Men's Basketball: Chason Woods
- Women's Basketball: Courtney Hamblin
- Baseball: Andy Lee
Photos from 2012 DSU Honors Banquet from each sport:
 Men's and Women's Cross Country |
 Football |
 Volleyball |
 Men's Basketball |
 Women's Basketball |
 Indoor and Outdoor Track |
 Softball |
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
