The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) proudly announces the 2026 NAIA Scholar-Athletes for winter sports. Each semester, the NAIA Scholar‑Athlete list celebrates student‑athletes who excel in both academic and athletic arenas. This honor recognizes student-athletes in each of the winter sports who have excelled academically, including basketball, bowling, competitive cheer, competitive dance, swimming & diving and wrestling.

To qualify as an NAIA Scholar-Athlete, students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, appear on the eligibility certificate for their sport, and have attended their institution for at least one full year. This year, the list features an impressive number of student-athletes who have met these rigorous standards.

Addisen Kiefer         Montana State University-Northern         Senior             Women's Basketball            Frontier Conference
Cinque Maxwell       Montana State University-Northern         Junior              Men's Basketball                 Frontier Conference
Jackson Nordboe     Montana State University-Northern         Sophomore     Men's Basketball                 Frontier Conference
Jeffrey Tjelde           Montana State University-Northern         Sophomore     Men's Basketball                 Frontier Conference
Leon Sayers IV        Montana State University-Northern         Senior             Men's Basketball                 Frontier Conference
Leonel Sewell          Montana State University-Northern         Senior             Men's Basketball                 Frontier Conference
Rebecca Melcher     Montana State University-Northern         Senior            Women's Basketball             Frontier Conference