DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The College of St. Scholastica Athletics Department held its eighth annual Saints Sports Awards on Sunday evening. For the first time, the event presented virtually. 

The Saints Sports Awards were established in 2013 to recognize all of St. Scholastica's 500-plus student-athletes' accomplishments throughout the year. The award categories featured nominees from the 2019 spring season, along with the fall and winter seasons from the current academic year. Awards were handed out for Male/Female Rookie of the Year, Male/Female Athlete of the Year, Male/Female Team of the Year, Male/Female Performance of the Year, Male/Female Game of the Year, Male/Female Career Achievement, John Baggs Sportsmanship Award and Male/Female Scholar-Athlete.

Football's Zach Edwards (St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley HS), women's hockey's Lexi Thomeczek (St. Louis, Mo./St. Joseph Academy (St. Louis AAA Blues)) and men's nordic skiing's and cross country's Jack Christianson (Arden Hills, Minn./Mounds View HS) took home multiple awards. Edwards was named the Male Athlete of the Year and also received the Male Career Achievement Award. Thomeczek came away with the Female Career Achievement Award and was Co-Female Scholar-Athlete recipient, joining cross country's and track & field's Elizabeth Poskie (Cotton, Minn./South Ridge HS). Christianson earned the Male Scholar-Athlete award and also took home the John Baggs Sportsmanship award.

Soccer's Ken Pryde (Fareham, England/Barton Peveril College) was the Male Rookie of the Year, while volleyball's Alcia Draper (Williams, Minn./Lake of the Woods HS) was the Female Rookie of the Year. Hockey's Zane Steeves (Red Deer, Alberta/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (100 Mile Wranglers-KIJHL)) had the Male Performance of the Year in leading the Saints to a victory at No. 6 Adrian College. Josie Fourre (Albany, Minn./Albany HS) had the Female Performance of the Year after hitting home runs in four consecutive at-bats against Northland College last spring.

The men's tennis team took home Male Team of the Year honors for the second straight year after making the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time. The women's soccer team was named the Female Team of the Year after cruising to the national tournament in the fall. Women's soccer's Morgan Friday (Duluth, Minn./Shattuck St. Mary's HS) was also named the Female Athlete of the Year.

The men's basketball team earned Male Game of the Year honors for the second straight year with its UMAC Semifinal win at the University of Northwestern (Minn.). The women's hockey team earned Female Game of the Year accolades with its win over No. 5 University of St. Thomas.
 

Male Rookie of the Year: Ken Pryde (Fareham, England/Barton Peveril College) (Soccer)	Female Rookie of the Year: Alcia Draper (Williams, Minn./Lake of the Woods HS) (Volleyball)
Male Scholar-Athlete Recipient: Jack Christianson (Arden Hills, Minn./Mounds View HS) (Cross Country/Nordic Skiing)	Female Scholar-Athlete Recipient: Elizabeth Poskie (Cotton, Minn./South Ridge HS) (Cross Country/Track & Field) Lexi Thomeczek (St. Louis, Mo./St. Joseph Academy (St. Louis AAA Blues)) (Hockey)
Male Performance of the Year:  Zane Steeves (Red Deer, Alberta/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (100 Mile Wranglers-KIJHL)) (Hockey)	Female Performance of the Year:  Josie Fourre (Albany, Minn./Albany HS) (Softball)
Male Game of the Year:  Men's Basketball at Northwestern (UMAC Semifinal)	Female Game of the Year:  Hockey vs. St. Thomas
Male Athlete of the Year: Zach Edwards (St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) (Football)	Female Athlete of the Year: Morgan Friday (Duluth, Minn./Shattuck St. Mary's HS) (Soccer)
Male Team of the Year: Men's Tennis	Female Team of the Year:  Soccer
Male Career Achievement Award: Zach Edwards (St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) (Football)	Female Career Achievement Award: Lexi Thomeczek (St. Louis, Mo./St. Joseph Academy (St. Louis AAA Blues)) (Hockey)
John Baggs Sportsmanship Award:  Jack Christianson (Arden Hills, Minn./Mounds View HS) (Men's Nordic Skiing/Cross Country)