Western Dakota Association Male and Female Senior Scholar Award
Since 2009, the Western Dakota Association has recognized one boy and girl student-athlete annually through its WDA Senior Scholar Award.
The award, which is tied to the North Dakota Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NDIAAA) scholarship program, is open to all conference members.
Each member school can submit a completed application for one boy and one girl student-athlete to be considered for the WDA's $500 scholarship award. The WDA is proud to have its, premiere partner, Farmers Union Insurance, a contributor to this project.
The conference activities directors review the applications and select the recipients which are announced in March. The winners join the other region scholarship recipients from across the state who are then eligible for the state NDIAAA scholarship. The applications for the state winners are forwarded to a review panel at the sectional level. Sectional winners then qualify for the national award. The scholarships are paid directly to the higher education institution in which the recipient will attend. For more on the NDIAAA scholarship program, click here.
WDA Senior Scholar Recipients
Year
Boy Scholar Winner
Girls Scholar Winner
2009
Sam Aneson, Mandan
Mollie Fearing, Williston
2010
Tyler Eikens, Williston
Ashley Jahner, Dickinson
2011
Kasey Gengler, Jamestown
Anna Hruby, Bismarck High
2012
Devin Coyle, Mandan
Tara Haussler, Bismarck High
2013
Austin Mack, Dickinson
Rachel Power, St. Mary's
2014
Ben Wanner, Mandan*
Emily Lysne, Williston
2015
Waylon DeCoteau, TMCHS*
Rachel Lantz, Dickinson
2016
Ben Hanson, Jamestown
Ali Froehlich, Mandan
2017
Brian Swanberg, Legacy)
Emily Bichler, St. Mary's
2018
Brody Armstrong, Minot*
Elizabeth Leingang, Mandan
2019
Will Madler, Bismarck High
Kailey Weigel, Legacy
2020
Aaron Riopelle, Mandan
Alexis Dressler, Legacy*
2021
Jaxon Duttenhefer, Mandan
Taylor Leingang, Mandan
2022
Chance Bowlinger, Bismarck Century
Madison Spacher, Watford City
2023
Kolden Kringen, Williston
Anna Bendish, Mandan
2024
Owen Bittner, Dickinson*
Brenna Curl, St. Mary's
2025
Conner Harvison, Bismarck High
Eva Selensky, St. Mary's
* State Scholar Recipient
Bismarck High's Conner Harvison and Bismarck St. Mary's Eva Selensky are recipients of the 2024-25 WDA Senior Scholar Award. Farmers Union is the premiere sponsor of the Western Dakota Association and provides a match in funds for the scholarships. Photo by WDA SID