The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) is proud to announce the winner of the third annual GPAC-Christopherson All-Academic Award. Mount Marty College in Yankton, South Dakota, claims the honor with the combined GPA of 3.300 among all of their student-athletes for the 2007-2008 academic year. Mount Marty won the inaugural award in 2005-2006 and claimed the honor again in 2006-2007.

A traveling award will be presented tonight (February 26) in Yankton at the Mount Marty versus Hastings GPAC Women's Basketball Tournament game at the Laddie E. Cimpl Arena. Corey Westra, Commissioner of the GPAC, will present the award to Dr. Rich Lofthus, Mount Marty Faculty Athletic Representative and Chuck Iverson, Mount Marty Athletic Director.

"To win an award of this magnitude for three consecutive years is very impressive," said GPAC Commissioner Corey Westra. "Mount Marty's student-athletes need to be strongly commended again for their work both in the class room and on the playing fields." "It is my honor to once again present the GPAC-Christopherson All-Academic Award to Mount Marty College," added Westra.

"Mount Marty College is proud to be the recipient of the 2007-2008 GPAC Christopherson All-Academic Award," said Mount Mary President, Dr. James (Tim) Barry. "To receive this award for the third consecutive year is true testimony to the academic success of our student-athletes, the faculty who advises and teaches them, and the coaches who coach them." "It is a marvelous accomplishment for Mount Marty College to be recognized in this way by our athletic peers," added Barry.

"At Mount Marty College we have a team approach designed to impress upon our student-athletes the primary importance of excelling in the classroom and getting that all important college degree," said Mount Marty Faculty Athletic Representative Dr. Rich Lofthus. "Our coaches, faculty, administration and student-athletes worked together to bring this award to Mount Marty College for the third time in a row." "I think this accomplishment should be celebrated by the entire academic community," added Lofthus.

 "We are again extremely honored and proud to receive this great award from the Great Plains Athletic Conference," said Mount Marty Athletic Director, Chuck Iverson. "I do believe it a great tribute, not just to our student-athletes, but also to the faculty, administration, and athletic staff, all pulling in the same direction to help our students be as successful as possible." "The Great Plains Athletic Conference is without a doubt a great academic, as well as athletic, conference which makes this award even more meaningful," added Iverson.

President Christopherson served as the first chair of the GPAC Council of Presidents, which was formed in 2004. Dr. Christopherson was very active with the NAIA serving on the Council of Presidents for many years up until his retirement. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Christopherson was a Viking student athlete himself, playing for the men's basketball and baseball teams.

Nebraska Wesleyan University and Concordia University were second and third in the All-Academic standings with 3.261 and 3.239 GPA's respectively. Ten of the 13 GPAC schools boasted collective GPA's over a 3.000.