Amanda Dickmeyer
Jurgens Photography

Riemersma Named Britton Scholar-Athlete Award Winner for NSIC

By Ryan Hilgemann, Augustana Athletic Communications

Burnsville, Minn. – Augustana’s Tyler Riemersma has been named the 2022 Dr. William Britton Scholar-Athlete Award recipient awarded by the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The Britton Award for Academic Excellence is in its 38th year and is awarded to the NSIC’s top male student-athlete.

Tyler has an outstanding record of academic achievement, athletic success and service to others. His quiet, calm and respectful demeanor masks his ultra-competitive spirit.

He made a huge impact in the classroom as a stellar data scientist and on the court by leading our men’s basketball team to an NSIC championship. He demonstrated to classmates and teammates what it takes to achieve excellence. Tyler is leaving Augustana with a lasting legacy of hard work, determination and success.
Dr. Marcia Entwistle, Augustana Faculty Athletic Representative

Riemersma, a native of Bloomington, Minnesota, is a graduate student, who completed his undergrad in Data Science and is now pursuing a master’s degree in Sports Administration and Leadership at Augustana University. The Jefferson High School graduate holds a 3.90 undergraduate grade point average and a 4.00 graduate GPA while excelling in basketball for the Vikings. Riemersma joins Kirby Hora (2019), Cody Lensing (2012) and Matt Braithwaite (2011) as the only student-athletes from Augustana to earn the NSIC Britton Award.

Tyler is the epitome of what a true student-athlete is all about. He is a very conscientious student, teammate and community leader. I do not believe the FARs within the NSIC could have selected a more qualified or more deserving individual.
Tom Billeter, Augustana Men's Basketball Head Coach

Riemersma was named the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year for Division II men’s basketball in 2022 and is a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-America honoree. He is an NSIC Myles Brand Award winner and a member of the NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence. He has been awarded the Hinks, Sam Milanovich and Sigurdson Family Mathematics Scholarships. He is also a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes on campus.
 
On the court, Riemersma averaged a double-double for the third-straight season with 18.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. He is the only NSIC player to average the feat in 2021-22. In fact, of the three years he averaged a double-double, two of them he was the only NSIC player for that average.
 
One of the best players to ever come through the Augustana program, Riemersma played in 89 games for the Vikings, scoring 1,316 points and grabbing 918 rebounds. His rebound total ranks him fourth all-time at Augustana while his point total has him 16th. The 2021-22 campaign saw Riemersma lead Augustana to a Top-10 national ranking for much of the second half of the season after entering the year unranked. The Vikings finished the season with a 26-4 record, an NSIC Overall and South Division Championship, a No. 1 ranking in the NCAA Central Region and an appearance in the NCAA Central Region Championship game.
 
He concluded the 2021-22 season as a consensus All-America honoree after being named the NSIC South Division Player of the Year.
 
Riemersma has also volunteered at the Augustana Twilight Cross Country meet, football pregame tailgates, Light the Night Sioux Falls, the South Dakota Miss Amazing, at the Sioux Falls Marathon and at Ransom Church.

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