Nebraska Wesleyan University 's men’s track & field student athlete, Garrett Lenners ‘23, has been selected as 2022-23 Duane Schroeder Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, awarded by the American Rivers Conference.
Lenners graduated with a 3.76 cumulative grade-point average and majored in biology. He was a six-time All-American and named A-R-C All-Conference on nine occasions and holds five Nebraska Wesleyan school records.
“The camaraderie I built with my teammates is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. For four years, I practiced alongside some of the most astounding men and women I have ever met, my 800-meter teammates specifically were the ones that I created my most fond memories with,” says Lenners.
Lenners picked up A-R-C All-Academic Team honors on three occasions (2021, 2022, 2023). He was also named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team in 2022 and 2023. Lenners earned the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship in 2023.
“During my career, I have been blessed to work with many outstanding scholar-athletes who have achieved academically and athletically at very high levels,” says former NWU Track and Field Coach Ted Bulling. “I can say however that Garrett Lenners has combined leadership skills, academic success and athletic prowess in a way that puts him at the very top of that list.”
Nebraska Wesleyan University Associate Professor of Biology Cindy Marolf says, “Garrett is an excellent student academically and did very well in my course. He has strong critical thinking and communication skills.”
Lenners was voted A-R-C Scholar-Athlete off the Year by the leagues’ faculty athletic representatives on Tuesday, January 9. It is the highest honor handed out by the A-R-C.
“Through all the awards, records, and accolades I earned during my track career, none are more important to me than the friendships I made. It is this camaraderie which has made the greatest impact on my life,” says Lenners.