The University of Sioux Falls Kait Van Der Zwaag was voted by the league coaches as the NSIC Outstanding Senior of the Year in softball. A native of Hull by way of the Boyden Hull Rock Valley Nighthawk softball program, Van Der Zwaag is a graduate student majoring in business administration.
The “NSIC Outstanding Senior of the Year Award” is presented to a NSIC Softball student-athlete who participates at their institution for four years and is academically superior while making a positive contribution to their team and the University. The NSIC Outstanding Senior of the Year award was initiated in 2020-21 to honor an outstanding senior that exemplifies the attributes of the model NSIC student-athlete.
In the classroom, Van Der Zwaag holds a 3.57 cumulative grade point average and is a four-time member of the NSIC All-Academic team. earned the NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award is a NFCA Scholar Athlete earned the 2022 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award.
A staple in the Cougar lineup the last five seasons and a career .300 hitter, Van Der Zwaag sits third all-time in home runs (29), third in RBI (117), fourth in slugging percentage (.569), second in hit by pitch (40), and second in walks (72) at USF. Her 557 putouts places her fourth while her .982 fielding percentage puts her in the top-15. In the circle. Van Der Zwaag will leave with over 300 strikeouts in more than 460 innings and north of 40 wins. She is a two-time All-NSIC performer at pitcher/utility and was second team three years ago.
When not on the field or in the classroom, Van Der Zwaag volunteers at the Sioux Falls Humane Society, The Banquet, Feeding South Dakota, Grand Living at Lake Lorraine Resident Baseball, Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign, Mentorship in Sioux Falls School District, Sioux Falls Marathon, and at Special Olympics South Dakota.
“Kait is the type of human that excels in every area of her life,” said Head Coach Shannon Pivovar. “She embodies exactly what the balance at Division II is – she earned her undergraduate and masters degree with excellence and All-NSIC/NFCA honors; she is a three-time All-NSIC performer on the softball field; she continuously gives back to her community and the USF community; and she is a leader to those around her. She is giving back to the game of softball by filling her ‘free time’ with youth lessons and is an ambassador of USF with her representation of a Culture of Service. Kait is the type of leader you want on your team and in your program. She is a culture builder, standard holder, and best friend. She is a shoulder to cry on, but she is going to push you to your limits. Kait has set record on the softball field, in the weight room, and continues to push the envelope on the level of success our program is having. She is going to be successful in her next steps in life because she has a work ethic that is second to none and will not let anything get in her way. I am a lifelong fan and I am so excited to see where her journeys take her.”
About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a 16-team union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 25 team national championships and crowned 105 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.
