BROOKINGS, S.D. — South Dakota State University's Leah Hisken has been awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship of $10,000 due to her excellent performance in the classroom and on the cross country course this past fall.
Fall Female Award Winners
The NCAA awards the one-time non-renewable $10,000 scholarship to 21 men and 21 women three times a year across three seasons (fall, winter, spring) to encourage student-athletes to pursue postgraduate education. To be considered for the scholarship, student-athletes must be in their final year of undergraduate studies, hold at least a 3.200 cumulative GPA and have performed with distinction in the varsity sport that they are nominated in.
"It's a great honor for anyone to receive the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship," Bargmann Endowed Head Coach for Track & Field/Cross Country Rod DeHaven said. "So for Leah to be awarded this prestigious scholarship is a deserving capstone to her illustrious career as a Jackrabbit.
"Leah made a profound impact on our program and all the individuals she interacted with here at SDSU and within the Brookings community. We are proud of the tremendous person that she is as well as her desire to further her education in order to positively impact the younger generations to come!"
Hisken echoed Coach DeHaven's sentiments, speaking of utilizing her scholarship to pursue teaching younger generations.
"I feel honored to have received this scholarship," Hisken said. "It is making it much easier and feasible to finish my education, during the chaos of life. Reaching the end of the line in sports is scary and sad, as I'm sure many people can relate.
"This scholarship feels like the perfect validation that all of the hard work within the classroom and on the track was worth it! Yet, it also holds a promise of the future. I'm excited to put my education to use and teach others! I'm extremely grateful to everyone at SDSU for their support and belief in me over the years; without which, I would not be where I am today!"
During her time as a Jackrabbit, Hisken landed a spot on the Summit League Cross Country All-League First Team all four years of her career. She was the Summit League's individual champion and earned USTFCCCA All-Region honors in 2021, 2022 and 2023. During her first year, Hisken qualified for the 2021 NCAA Cross Country Championships.
-GoJacks.com-