May 14, 2026

HELENA, Mont. – The Frontier Conference presented the 2025-26 Champions of Character for men’s and women’s outdoor track & field, presented by our partner WinWon Technologies.  They were recognized on the second day of the conference meet on May 3 in Dickinson, N.D.

Found in 2022, WinWon is a sports technology company revolutionizing the way sports organizations operate.  By building a custom platform to fit the needs of their partner schools and conferences, WinWon levels up athletic operations.  WinWon ensures operational efficiency through streamlining processes, integrating systems, and bridging connections between conference and campus leadership, coaches, staff, and student athletes. 

WinWon is dedicated to supporting excellence in the world of athletics through modernization.  To learn more about them as a strategic conference partner, please visit winwontech.com.

Head coaches were asked to select one student athlete per team he or she coaches to receive this prestigious award.  The award recognizes student athletes who best exemplify the five cores’ values of the NAIA Champions of Character initiative: integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership.

On behalf of WinWon Technologies, we recognize 22 exceptional student athletes from 11 Frontier Conference schools who were selected by their respective head coaches:

Bellevue (Neb.) (head coach Craig Christians)

• Luis Casallas Vega: “Luis is a kind and supportive member of our team. His teammates respect him for his hard effort and support he shows them.”
• Cloey Usher: “Cloey is a positive part of our team culture. She sets an example through her hard work and willingness to take on any assignment.”

Bismarck State (N.D.) (head coach Julia Hammerschmidt)

• Davian Welsch: “Davian is always willing to help and consistently volunteers when needed. He’s a great teammate, supportive, reliable, and brings energy to the group. He’s made strong progress in the discus this season and continues to show up and work hard every day.”
• Aisha Zaffino: “Aisha is a great teammate who is always positive and supportive. She has a strong work ethic both on and off track and serves as a mentor to our freshmen. She leads by example every day and represents BSC and the Champions of Character award with class and integrity.”

Carroll (Mont.) (head coach Harry Clark)

• Tucker Monaco: “Tucker is a team captain and is always willing to go the extra mile for himself and his teammates. Whenever something needs to be done on campus or in the community, he is always willing to give a hand. He is a great athlete and even a better person!”
• Kayla Botkin: “Perfect example of what it means to be Champions of Character! She is the first person to always volunteer on campus and in the community! We will miss her very much, but she is going to do great things after college!”

Dakota State (S.D.) (head coach Alex Glover)

• Cody Farland: “Cody has battled through multiple injuries over the last two seasons. He was previously a multiple time All-American runner for us and has worked extremely hard to be able to get back to run at a high level to help the team. It has been a very long road to get back to being able to run well, but he has done it all in hopes of being able to help the team win. He has kept an extremely positive attitude through it all, which I really appreciated. It has been a pleasure being his coach.”
• Molli Thornton: “Molli is a great runner for us and an even better person. She has an infectious personality that people gravitate towards. She is also someone that leads by example and has really become a leader amongst the team. She came into DSU as an extremely timid person and has really grown and become someone that underclassmen really look up to.”

Dickinson State (N.D.) (head coach Shayne Wittkopp)

• Mustafa Taylor: “Mustafa has persevered a lot to get to this point in his career. He's been a solid senior leader in the program.”
• Adarra Hagelund: “Adarra is a kind and selfless teammate that often times sacrifices for her team.”

Montana Tech (head coach Chuck Merrifield / assistant coach Jacob Sundberg)

• Bryon Fanning: “Bryon is the cornerstone of our team culture on our men’s distance team. He is fully bought in and makes everyone around him better. Bryon’s progression this season has largely been a function of his strong character which will also help drive development for the program in years to come.”
• Jayda Vermillion: “Jadyn is always willing to do what it takes to help the team. Despite any hardship she has endured, she still shows up and puts her best foot forward and helps her teammates.”

Montana Western (head coach Taylor Grove)

• Mason Lynch: “Mason is a hard worker on the track and in the classroom. He always has a positive attitude even when encountering challenges. He is very involved on campus being a part of our Association of Student athletes. He supports other teams and athletes on campus and is always willing to volunteer to help with activities on campus. His effort and attitude are positive influences for everyone on the team.”
• Kendalynn Streck: “Kendalynn works hard in practice and in the classroom. She always has a positive attitude and is a great supporter of her teammates.”

MSU – Northern (head coach Deborah Callahan)

• James Stensland-Plymale: “He has a very competitive drive and works to push others around him. His willingness to learn and grow makes him highly coachable.”
• Elizabeth DeVries: “She is a very dedicated and caring individual. She works to improve herself when she gets frustrated and is not afraid to ask questions to get herself there. Recently, she has stepped up in helping the coach prepare for an annual fundraiser which was greatly appreciated.”

Providence (Mont.) (head coach Alan Cress)

• Josh Golemon: “Josh is a team captain and leader in all our practice session. He is also an all-conference academic recipient to lead as a role model for our team.”
• Lauren Cima: “Lauren leads by example in all aspects of our team practice and maintains a 4.0 GPA to lead by example in the classroom as well.”

Rocky Mountain (Mont.) (head coach Alex Oddy)

• Christopher Klueg
• Hadley Jones

Valley City State (N.D.) (head coach Laquone Robinson)

• Zach Baumgartner: “He leads by example in both practice and competition, showing respect to teammates, coaches, and opponents while maintaining a strong work ethic. Their positive attitude and willingness to put the team first make them a trusted and influential presence.”
• Caitlin Armbrust: “She consistently push through challenges without complaint, support their teammates during both successes and setbacks, and take responsibility for their actions. Whether in the classroom, at practice, or in competition, they demonstrate honesty, respect, and a commitment to doing things the right way, making them a strong role model for others.”