MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-River Falls'
Haley Nielsen has been named the recipient of the 2019 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Ice Hockey Scholar-Athlete Award.
A senior from Plymouth, Minn. (Orono), Nielsen sustains a 3.87 grade point average and is majoring in physics and mathematics. She earned a spot on the 2017-18 American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Krampade NCAA Division II-III All-America Scholar Team. Nielsen is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and been recognized on UW-River Falls' Dean's List numerous semesters.
A two-year team captain, she is a three-time All-WIAC first team selection and helped UW-River Falls claim the conference regular-season title all four seasons, as well as a pair of O'Brien Cups. Nielsen was selected to the AHCA All-America First Team a season ago and was a member of UW-River Falls' national runner-up team in 2016.
Nielsen is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi and Sigma Pi Sigma National Honor Societies and has volunteered with Trick-or-Treat for Canned Goods, River Falls Trash Pick-Up and youth hockey practices.
Also nominated for this year's scholar-athlete award were: UW-Eau Claire's Erin Goodell (Sr., Maplewood, Minn./Woodbury); UW-Stevens Point's Cara Lemirande (Sr., Janesville, Wis.); and UW-Superior's Mandy Tomlinson (Sr., Waupaca, Wis.).
The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Judy Kruckman who served as Assistant Commissioner for the WIAC from 1996-98. Prior to this appointment, she was Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WWIAC) from October, 1984 - September, 1996. Kruckman was the women's athletics director at UW-Eau Claire from 1974-84, and one of the original representatives to the WWIAC when it formed in 1971. She was inducted into the WIAC Hall of Fame in 2012.
In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, she must be in her last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.
