INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The NCAA has announced its finalists for the 2023 Division II Award of Excellence, a yearly award given to an institution in recognition of their community engagement efforts. MSU Moorhead has been named a finalist for the award thanks to their work last year with Joe's Heroes and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

"I am so proud of our SAAC group. They have been doing great work in the community over the years and being named a finalist for the NCAA Award of Excellence is a great acknowledgment of their efforts," said MSUM athletics director Chad Markuson. "Additionally, the meaningful partnership which honored Joe Keller and his family made last year's event even larger than ever before."

MSUM's Student-athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) used their platform to help raise funds for Make-A-Wish while honoring Dragons superfan Joe Keller (a Make-A-Wish recipient and advocate). Keller was an MSUM student, member of the MSUM GO! TEAM and Dragon athletics superfan who was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at the age of five. Keller had helped the MSUM Student-Athlete Advisory Committee with past Make-A-Wish fundraising efforts. Keller passed away in the summer of 2021.

When the athletics department asked student-athletes how they wanted to honor their friend, they rallied to pay Joe's gift and cause forward in a way that couldn't have been imagined. MSUM connected with Joe's family for help and they offered to buy 500 Joe's Heroes t-shirts for the first 500 fans with Keller in a custom Dragons jersey. The sale of the Joe's Heroes shirts in the past had helped raise the funds for Joe's Make-A-Wish trip years ago and gave the department the title for the event. Both teams and coaches also wore the shirts for warm ups.

MSUM's SAAC had massive success with "Workouts for Wishes" in the 2021 campaign as longtime sponsor Papa John's donated $1 for every workout up to $1,000. Reusing this tactic helped push the campaign on social media so that those who didn't have the money to donate could still help out. Doing so boomed the reach and awareness of the campaign with local celebrities and Joe's high school network jumping in as well. MSUM's campus jumped in and named the basketball games surrounding the event their annual Dragon Frost event too, bringing in a 22' inflatable slide, prizes and free pizza at their "Indoor Tailgate". It was Senior Night for men's and women's basketball. Finally, MSUM brought in the local and nationally known FM Acro Team to perform at halftimes of both games who gladly donated their time to support Joe.

The night was an absolute smash. Make-A-Wish and Joe's Heroes content was everywhere in-game, on broadcasts and in the community. Overall, MSUM raised $4,385 for Fargo Make-A-Wish Foundation (almost tripling the best Make-A-Wish campaign MSUM has ever done), had over 1,000 fans at both games, picked up two big wins and most importantly, Joe's family was over the moon about the department's tribute to their son.The impact to Make-A-Wish, MSUM's campus, Dragon athletes and the Fargo-Moorhead community was huge.



The grand prize winner will be announced on January 14.

Each active Division II school and conference is eligible to submit its best community engagement activity and/or event that promotes student-athletes giving back and serving as leaders within their communities. A few initiatives schools may consider include student-athlete leadership development, educational programming, military appreciation, game environment, Make-A-Wish® or Team IMPACT®.

Monetary prizes are given for first ($2,500), second ($1,250) and third place ($1,000), and a $500 prize is given to one winner in each of the 23 Division II conferences, one winner representing independent institutions and at-large honorees. All prize money is to be used toward future community engagement initiatives.

The University of Minnesota Duluth won the 2022 Award of Excellence for its student-athlete led Green Bandana Project initiative that focuses on mental health advocacy.

The Award of Excellence began as the Division II Community Engagement Award in 2008, and it was accompanied by a Division II Game Environment Award in 2010. At the 2014 Convention, Division II combined the two awards to allow the division to give larger prizes and prestige to those member conferences or institutions that participated.