Athletics Department | 5/19/2026 10:00:00 AM
MOORHEAD, Minn. – Minnesota State Moorhead athletics has announced its 2025-26 year-end award winners. Seven Dragon student-athletes were honored for their efforts this past season.
MSUM Co-Female Athletes of the Year
Kranz logged one of the best seasons by a Dragon thrower in recent memory. The junior was an All-NSIC performer in the indoor shot put finishing runner-up. She is the first indoor all-conference thrower for MSUM since 2018. At the conference meet, Kranz tossed 13.73m, now the second-best indoor shot put in program history.
Kranz also moved into the top ten all time in the hammer throw this outdoor season. Kranz collected three event wins this season as well. On May 2, Kranz logged a new all-time best in shot put at the Cobber Open, hurling a 45-02.25 (13.77m). That throw is now the second-best outdoor shot put in MSUM history. At the NSIC Outdoor Championships, Kranz placed sixth overall in shot put.
Diaz Castillo captured her second straight First Team All-NSIC Singles nod following a senior campaign that saw her finish 14-8 overall. This included an impressive 7-3 record in NSIC matches at the number one position. Diaz Castillo concluded the season with an 11-5 record in the number one spot for the Dragons. The senior claimed victory in six of her final 10 singles matches. In her career, Diaz Castillo tallied 35 singles victories.
In doubles, Diaz Castillo and
Sophia Felderman were one of the conference's top duos in 2025-26, collecting an 11-3 overall record. The team earned seven NSIC victories against just three league losses. Diaz Castillo and Felderman finished the season winning seven of their last 10 matches. The pair was also ranked as high as 33rd in the nation by the ITA and spent several weeks ranked inside the national top-50. The pair was named All-NSIC First Team Doubles for their efforts.
MSUM Co-Male Athletes of the Year
Jared Gregoire, Cross Country/Track & Field
Gregoire had an improbable return to form in 2025-26. His season began with an NSIC individual championship in men's cross country, the first Dragon champion since 2005. Gregoire only continued his strong pace into the indoor season, marking NCAA Provisional times in both the mile and 800m. He would set the MSUM school record in the mile run, nearly clipping a sub 4-minute mark. Gregoire earned conference titles in the 800m, 1500m and the distance medley relay at the NSIC Indoor Championships, earning the high-point total for the meet.
The Buffalo product would secure All-American honors in the indoor mile at the NCAA Championships. Gregoire clocked an NCAA provisional time in the outdoor 1500m this season. His season-best time of 3:46.47 helped him earn USTFCCCA All-Region honors in the 1500m run. Gregoire was the NSIC's champion in the event at the conference's outdoor championships. He would also secure all-conference honors in the 800m run at the conference meet.
Strand earned D2Football.com, Don Hansen, D2CCA, Walter Camp Football and AFCA All-America honors in 2025. This season, Strand became the first player in MSUM football history to be named D2CCA Region Player of the Year. The Bloomer, Wis., native was nothing short of magical in his senior season. Strand led the NSIC in passing (3,546) and total (3,834) yardage throughout the season, accounting for 47 total touchdowns to earn his second NSIC Offensive Player of the Year honor. Strand set the MSUM single-season record with 42 passing touchdowns in 2025.
The senior reset NSIC career records in pass completions (1,147), passing yards (12,134) and passing touchdowns (115) during the 2025 campaign. Strand was named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week three times and bolstered seven games with 300 or more pass yards. He would tie the NSIC single-game record for passing touchdowns on November 1 against Bemidji State, slinging seven scores. Strand ranks 10
th all-time in NCAA Division II history in passing yardage, throwing for 13,161 yards in 42 career games.
Strand signed with the NFL''s Atlanta Falcons following the 2026 NFL Draft in April.
MSUM Co-Female Newcomers of the Year
Larson, a transfer originally from Jamestown, N.D., enjoyed a record-setting first year in Moorhead. On April 16, Larson reset the MSUM outdoor triple jump record, logging a leap of 39-09.25 (12.12m). The previous record, set by Dragon Athletic Hall of Famer Jessica Trautwein, had stood since 2005. In total, Larson had six event wins in 2025-26.
The sophomore would collect podium finishes for Moorhead throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons. Larson finished within the top seven at both conference meets in the long and triple jumps. This was led by a a pair of fourth-place finishes in long and triple jump at the NSIC Outdoor Championships. Throughout the season, Larson registered MSUM top ten marks in the indoor 60m, indoor long jump, indoor triple jump, outdoor 100m, outdoor long jump and outdoor triple jump. Larson was also a member of the MSUM 4x100m relay team that entered the top five all-time this past outdoor season.
The true freshman McKeever secured an impressive debut season in Moorhead. The Scottsdale, Ariz., native hit for a team-best .338 batting average in 2026, playing in 52 games for the Dragons. McKeever was third on the team in total hits with 46 while also driving in 19 runs at the plate. The frosh would also cross home 15 times throughout the season.
McKeever would finish the season with a .757 OPS as well as a .417 on-base clip. In NSIC games, McKeever hit for a solid .356 average with 31 hits. McKeever finished the season with three stolen bases as well as a .980 fielding percentage.
MSUM Male Newcomer of the Year
Jacobson, a sophomore transfer originally from Pelican Rapids, Minn., turned into one of the NSIC's most versatile competitors in 2025-26. The sophomore collected a staggering 13 event victories throughout his sophomore campaign. Jacobson registered an all-conference performance in the indoor shot put, finishing third overall. At the conclusion of the indoor season, Jacobson held MSUM top ten marks in shot put and weight throw.
The outdoor season saw Jacobson continue his upward trend in both marks and wins. The sophomore had a string of nine consecutive event victories across the month of April. This was led by a school record discus throw of 174-07 (53.21m) on April 16. Jacobson's new school record bests a mark that had stood since 2001. After the outdoor season, Jacobson sits in the MSUM all-time top ten in shot put and hammer throw as well. At the conference's outdoor championships, Jacobson earned a podium spot in all four throwing events, nearly scoring in all four as well.
