We wrap up our Senior awards with the Cougar Excellence Awards, presented to those who represent the best of Cougar Athletics.
MORRIS, Minn. – University of Minnesota Morris Athletics have determined the department’s Senior award winners and finish up the week by naming the Men’s and Women’s Cougar Excellence Award winners.
The Cougar Excellence Awards are awarded each year to fourth-year student-athletes who represent the best of Cougar Athletics: passion, dedication, athletic competitiveness, and academic engagement. Recipients have competed at the University of Minnesota Morris for a minimum of two years.
The winners of this year’s Cougar Excellence Awards go to Connor Oldenburg (football) and Kaitlyn Ladwig (cross country/track & field).
Connor graduated in December from Minnesota Morris with degrees in Social Science, Political Science, and Communications, Media & Rhetoric along with a GPA of 3.85. A 2021 CoSIDA Second Team Academic All-American and four-time UMAC All-Academic honoree, Connor was a four-year starter for the Cougars and a three-year team captain. He also had volunteer experiences with Feed My Starving Children, Morris Community Meals, the Special Olympics, Historical Society, as a Teaching Assistant, Research Assistant, and an Activity Fee Review Committee Chair. Currently working at UMN Morris in the Admissions department, Connor will head off to law school next fall to study Intellectual Property.
Kaitlyn has been a member of Minnesota Morris cross country and track & field for five years after using her additional COVID season in 2021-22. An Education major with a 3.13 GPA, Kaitlyn has been All-UMAC in either cross country, indoor track & field, or outdoor track & field in each of her five seasons. A volunteer as a tutor and at study tables away from competition, she’ll look to get a teaching job in the St. Cloud area and begin coaching after graduation in May.
All Senior award recipients will be honored at the Senior Banquet on May 1.
