MENOMONIE – Sam Kroon a junior defenseman at the University of Wisconsin Stout, is the recipient of the Elite Scholar-Athlete award for the 2026 NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championship.
Kroon, a junior majoring in business administration, currently carries a 3.974 GPA. Kroon was presented with the award during the Men's Ice Hockey banquet on Thursday, March 26 at 6 p.m. ET in Utica, N.Y.
The Elite Scholar-Athlete award recognizes the true essence of student-athletes by honoring the individuals who have reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in their sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among their peers. The Elite Scholar-Athlete award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's championships.
Eligible student-athletes are sophomores or above academically who have participated in a sport for at least two years with their school. All ties are broken based on the number of credits completed.
For more information on the Elite Scholar-Athlete award winners, log on to
https://www.ncaa.org/elitescholarathlete.
