KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Dakota Wesleyan University has been tabbed as a gold-level Five-Star Institution by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' Champions of Character program for the 2024-25 school year.
DWU was among 210 institutions in the NAIA to receive a Champions of Character Five-Star Award, scoring a perfect 100 in the association's criteria to achieve Gold status. For these awards, institutions are measured on a demonstrated commitment to Champions of Character and earn points in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition, and character promotion, which reflect the program's five core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership.
This marks the fourth consecutive year that the Tigers have received a perfect score, demonstrating the athletic department's continued commitment to the Champions of Character core values, and are among just 11 schools to accomplish the feat actively. Director of Athletics Ross Cimpl believes these honors are reflective of the entire department's efforts:
"Dakota Wesleyan being a 'special place' is something that you continue to hear repeatedly, and this award is a reflection of that. We have tremendous faculty, staff, coaches, and student-athletes that continue to raise the bar. To be recognized four straight years and being only one of 11 schools to do so is amazing. We are extremely proud of this distinction from the NAIA."
Dakota Wesleyan University is also a member of a Five-Star Conference in the Great Plains Athletic Conference, which had over 60% of its members named as Five-Star Institutions. You can view all Champions of Character Five-Star Award winners for the 2024-25 year here.
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