Winners of the 2016 Jostens Trophy Awards Announced

MSOE's Denfeld, NWU's Bardsley Win Prestigious Honors

SALEM, Va. --- Junior forward Holly Denfeld of the Milwaukee School of Engineering and senior guard Trey Bardsley from Nebraska Wesleyan University were chosen as recipients of the top individual awards in NCAA Division III men's and women's basketball on Wednesday as the two were announced as the 2016 Jostens Trophy winners.  The annual awards recognize outstanding student-athletes in D-III basketball for excellence in the classroom, on the playing court, and in the community.

The Jostens Trophy is a joint creation of Jostens, Inc., of Minneapolis, Minn., and the Rotary Club of Salem, Va. The purpose of the award is to honor the true Division III student-athlete - the athlete that shows excellence in the classroom, on the playing floor and in the community. In addition to the Trophy, the Wooldridge Scholarship, a $1,000 donation, will be presented in the name of the winner to his/her institution. The scholarship was named after Dan Wooldridge, a Salem Rotarian and retired Commissioner of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, as a way of honoring him for his long-time dedication to Division III athletics.

The winners were chosen by a national selection committee that consists of college coaches, former athletes, college administrators and selected members of the media. The members of the national selection committee cast their votes based on three criteria: basketball ability, academic prowess and community service.

The awards presentation for the Jostens Trophy is set for March 17, held in conjunction with the Salem Rotary Club's weekly meeting and as prelude to the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball National Championship Series at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Va.

DENFELD NAMED WINNER OF THE 2016 JOSTENS TROPHY
Denfeld, a native of Edgar, Wis., helped lead the Milwaukee School of Engineering women's basketball team to an 18-8 record in 2015-16, a mark that included a 16-4 record in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC).  Denfeld proved the conference's leader in scoring, posting 19.7 points per game and a school-record field goal percentage of 58.4-percent on the way to earning NACC Player of the Year laurels.  She also pulled down 9.7 rebounds per contest and registered 12 double-doubles.

Production certainly was not a problem for the three-time All-NACC First Team choice and career 1,000-point scorer.  Denfeld notched a MSOE record 40 points to go with 17 rebounds in an overtime triumph at Edgewood on February 2.  She tied another school-standard in the 78-72 decision, going 12-for-12 from the foul line on the way to earning USBWA National Player of the Week, D3hoops.com National Team of the Week, and HEROSports.com HERO of the Week accolades.

In the classroom, Denfeld maintains a 4.00 cumulative grade point average as an architectural engineering and construction management major.  She is a two-time Academic All-American, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), adding a first team choice this season to a second team honor in 2014-15.

In addition to balancing her academic and athletic successes, Denfeld has found time to be active in the community. She has logged numerous hours with Habitat for Humanity, Milwaukee Empty Bowls, Kayla's Crew, Sam's Hope, as well as with the Milwaukee Heart Walk and Walk for Diabetes. She's also been a student leader with the MSOE Student-Athlete Advisory Council and on campus.

BARDSLEY NAMED WINNER OF THE 2016 JOSTENS TROPHY
Bardsley, a native of Beatrice, Neb., has been a scoring machine for the Prairie Wolves as he is currently on pace to set the Nebraska Wesleyan single-season scoring average record.  He currently averages 28.8 points per game, having racked up a school-record 835 points powered by 138 makes from three-point territory, another school standard.  He shoots at a 52.1-percent clip while also averaging 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.  He's currently third on the NWU career charts with 1,878 points scored.

The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Player of the Year has scored in double figures in all 29 games played this season, registering 14 contests of 30 or more points scored.  That includes a career-best 55-point outburst in which he went 16-of-29 from the field, 11-of-18 from beyond arc, and 12-of-12 from the charity stripe.

In the classroom, Bardsley maintains a 3.50 cumulative grade point average as a business administration major.  He became the eighth Nebraska Wesleyan men's basketball player to earn Academic All-America distinction, as the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) tabbed him to the second team.

In addition to his on-court and classroom exploits, Bardsley has volunteered each year at the Lighthouse, which is a local after school program for middle and high school aged students that gives academic support and enrichment/recreational activities to what are mostly low income students. He has spoken at an assembly at Dawes Middle School about the importance of staying in school to help achieve your dreams, as well as participation in Lend-A-Hand-To-Lincoln through NWU, where he volunteered at the Asian Community and Cultural Center.

** Minneapolis-based Jostens is a leading provider of products and services that help recognize achievement and affiliation throughout people's lives. The company specializes in championships rings and awards in addition to yearbooks, class rings, graduation products, school photography and corporate programs.