St. Bonifacius, MN - The UMAC announced the finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Leadership Award on Wednesday, Jacob Van Dam and Anna Anderson Sanchez earned the nominations for Crown.

Through the Scholar-Athlete Leadership Award, the UMAC recognizes the role athletics plays in developing leaders by rewarding athletes' excellence in the classroom as well as service to the community. The honor is awarded annually to one male and one female graduating senior from UMAC member-institutions. Finalists for each institution are nominated by each institution and winners are selected by the UMAC Faculty Athletics Representatives.

Finalists are nominated by each institution and the winners are selected by the UMAC Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives. Winners of the Scholar-Athlete Leadership Award – which will be given to one male and one female – will be announced Wednesday, April 17. The two award winners will be honored by their respective institutions and presented with a personalized plaque.

Here are the two Polars finalists and their respected achievements:

Jacob Van Dam
Major: Sport Management
GPA: 3.61
Sport(s): Baseball (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), Basketball (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)

Academic Achievements:
• 4x Academic All-UMAC (Basketball + Baseball)
• Dean's List
• Paul and Donna Mertens Endowed Scholarship Recipient
• JD Williams Scholarship Recipient"

Leadership:
• 2x Team Captain (Basketball; 2022-2023, 2023-2024)
• Team Captain (Baseball; 2024)
• Honorable Mention All-UMAC (Basketball; 2021-2022)
• School Record Single Game 3PT FGM (Basketball)
• School Record Career Saves (Baseball)
• School Record Season Saves (Baseball; 2023)
• Member of 2022 UMAC Conference Champion (Baseball)
• Member of 2024 Division II NCCAA National Championship (Basketball)"

Service:
• Sport Management Program High Motor Award (2023)
• Resident Director (2022-2023)
• Intern for Mound Westonka High School (202)
• Intern for Southwest Christian High School (2023)
• Game Day Staff Lead for Crown College Athletics (2020-2023)
• Junior Legion Baseball Coach (1st-6th graders; 2021, 2022, 2023)
• Volunteer at Highlands Church (2023-present)"

Anna Anderson Sanchez
Major: Elementary Education
GPA: 3.91
Sport(s): Cross Country (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023), Track & Field (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)

Academic Achievements:
• 3x Time Academic All-UMAC Cross Country
• 3x Time Academic All-UMAC Track & Field
• 2020 Mary Babcock Scholarship Recipient
• 2024 Swanton Church Scholarship Recipient
• President's Scholarship Recipient (2020-2024)
• Dean's List
• John and Velma Warnholtz Missionary Scholarship (2023)
• Lillan Rythan Scholarship (2022)
• Paul and Donna Mertens Endowed Scholarship (2022)

Leadership:
• 3x Team Captain Track & Field
• 2x Team Captain Cross Country
• 2x Second Team All-UMAC Cross Country (2021, 2023)
• 3x Indoor Track and Field All-UMAC (2021, 2022, 2023)
• 2x Outdoor Track and Field All-UMAC (2022, 2023)
• 3x Second Team All-UMAC Indoor (2020, 2022, 2023)
• 2x Second Team All-UMAC Outdoor (2022, 2023)
• 5 School Records in Track and Field (4x200M Indoor, 400M Indoor, 4x100M Outdoor, 400M Outdoor, 800M Outdoor)
• 2x UMAC Sportsmanship Award for Indoor Track & Field (2022, 2023)
• UMAC Sportsmanship Award for Outdoor Track & Field (2023)
• Multiple time: UMAC Track Athlete of the Week
• 1x NCCAA All-American (2023)

Service:
• Residential Assistant (2021-2022)
• Summer Residential Assistant (2022)
• Youth Group Leadership at Waterbrook (2023-2024)
• Childcare/Nursery Volunteer at Waterbrook (2021-2023)
• Somali Tutoring Program Volunteer (2020, 2021)