BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict added another chapter to its strong academic–athletic tradition this fall, as three student-athletes earned the prestigious MIAC Elite 22 Award. Golf standout Catherine Jance and volleyball leaders Brooke Andries and Kate Stadum were recognized, joining a growing list of Bennies who have received the conference's top academic honor.

The MIAC Elite 22 Award recognizes the true essence of the term "student-athlete" by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the conference championship level in their sport while also achieving the highest academic standard among their peers. Modeled after the NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award (formerly Elite 90), the MIAC Elite 22 Award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest grade-point average (GPA) in each sport who meets similarly high, sport-specific athletic requirements. With this year's trio, Saint Benedict has now produced 13 individuals who have claimed 15 total Elite 22 accolades.
 
In all sports with MIAC team postseason tournaments, including volleyball, the MIAC Elite 22 Award is presented to the individual with the highest GPA on the active postseason roster of a playoff-qualifying team. The MIAC Elite 22 honor in golf is presented to the individual with the highest GPA among the top 10 individual finishers at the MIAC Championships. Each winner must be a junior or senior and in at least their second full academic year at their current institution. Ties are broken by the number of credits earned at their institution
 
Jance Caps Breakout Golf Season with Academic–and Athletic–Excellence

For senior biology major, Catherine Jance, the MIAC Elite 22 honor punctuates a season defined by steady climbs and breakthrough moments. The Hopkins, Minn., native delivered a career-best performance at the MIAC Championships, firing a three-round 235 (79–76–80) to finish ninth—her best tournament score to date. Her card featured 28 pars and five birdies, securing a spot on the 10-member All-Championship Team. She is also set to earn All-MIAC recognition for the second straight year this spring. Jance's play helped guide CSB to a team total of 943, the program's best MIAC Championship score since 2017–18 and its highest finish since placing second in 2018. Her fall resume underscores her consistency: five top-10 finishes, including four in the top five, and a 76.4 scoring average that ranks fifth in the conference. Over 11 rounds, she totaled 840 strokes and posted a low round of 71—tied for the second-best score in program history. At the St. Kate's Invitational in late September, Jance fired rounds of 72 and 71 for a program-record 143, finishing second overall. Along the way, she added Academic All-MIAC honors and was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team for 2024–25.

A First for CSB Volleyball: Andries & Stadum named dual Elite 22 honorees

For the first time, CSB volleyball celebrated two Elite 22 recipients in the same season. Juniors Brooke Andries and Kate Stadum—cornerstones of the team's second straight NCAA Division III Tournament berth and back-to-back MIAC Tournament titles—earned the honor after standout academic and postseason performances. Andries and Stadum will lead (RV) CSB against No. 21WashU in the NCAA DIII Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 20, at Oshkosh, Wis.

 

A finance major from Marshall, Minn., Andries added to an already decorated résumé that includes Academic All-MIAC status and CSC Academic All-District honors. In the 2025 MIAC Playoffs, she delivered 24 kills (1.85 per set) while hitting .295 across three matches. She contributed nine digs, seven blocks, and 28 points, earning her second consecutive MIAC All-Playoff Team nod. This season, she averaged 1.79 kills per set and has amassed 523 kills and 113 blocks in her career.

 Stadum, a biology and chemistry (pre-med) major from Brainerd, Minn., continued her rise as a versatile offensive and defensive presence. After earning Academic All-MIAC honors in 2024, she recorded 1.41 kills per set this season, along with three service aces, five blocks, 22 digs, and 58 points. She scored 10 points in a five-set victory over top-seeded St. Olaf to send the Bennies to the NCAA DIII Tournament. Through 44 career matches, she has totaled 117 kills, 10 aces, 59 digs, 11 blocks, and 133.5 points.