INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Augustana softball's own Liz Dierks has been named as one of 42 spring student-athletes in the country honored with the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, officials announced.
 
Each year, the NCAA awards 126 postgraduate scholarships to student-athletes who have completed their final year of athletics competition. The scholarships are distributed three times annually — in the fall, winter and spring — providing 21 scholarships each to men and women per season. The award is a one-time, nonrenewable scholarship aimed at funding graduate study at an accredited institution. Nominations come from each school's Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR).
 
"As a true student-athlete, Liz represents the ideal balance of academic and athletic excellence," said Augustana's FAR, Dr. Marcia Entwistle. "Her remarkable dedication to achieving success in both areas sets her apart, and she continues to motivate younger student-athletes through her relentless work ethic and passion."
 
Dierks—a homegrown native of Sioux Falls, South Dakota—becomes the 41^st postgraduate scholar for Augustana and is the third softball player from AU, joining Kendall Cornick in 2021 and Becky Mancuso in 1999.
 
"Liz's influence on her teammates and the Augustana Softball program will be felt for years to come," said Augustana softball head coach Gretta Melsted. "She is the true example that you can succeed at the highest level in both and we are incredibly proud of her and her achievements."
 
After recently graduating with her degree in biology, Dierks will be attending the University of Nebraska Medical Center for pharmacy school beginning this fall. At the end of the 2024-25 academic year, she was awarded the prestigious Willis R. Kelly Scholar-Athlete Award for Academic Excellence from the NSIC as the league's top female student-athlete.
 
During her time with the Vikings, Dierks helped AU to four NSIC Regular Season championships and three NSIC Tournament titles all while accruing the 2025 NSIC Elite 18 Award for softball, two All-NSIC First Team honors, two NSIC All-Defensive team recognitions, four straight Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete distinctions, two CSC Academic All-District nods and multiple NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence honors.
 
She concludes her career with a .339 battings average across 237 games played, with 235 games started and 649 trips to the plate. Dierks maintained a .966 fielding percentage throughout her four seasons in the outfield and her lone career homerun came in her Senior Day game against Bemidji State this year.
 
Established in 1964, the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship program promotes and encourages graduate education by recognizing the Association's most accomplished student-athletes. The program evaluates candidates on their athletic and academic achievements, campus involvement, community service and leadership. An equitable selection process ensures that all nominees, regardless of sport, division, gender or race, are considered fairly.