Men’s basketball player Dylan Kuehl of Northern Michigan University has been named the Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

That announcement was made Wednesday by NMU, marking the first time a Wildcats’ student-athlete has won this prestigious honor.

It recognizes the conference’s top male student-athlete for excellence in the combination of academics and athletics. Kuehl adds the distinction to a historic list of honors he already has earned during his final season at Northern.

A graduate student in construction management, Kuehl maintained a 3.65 grade-point average and was recently named to the GLIAC Academic Excellence Team.

Northern Michigan University’s Dylan Kuehl, left, drives to the basket with Michigan Tech defender Gabe Smith closely guarding during their GLIAC game played at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Feb. 19. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

Earlier this month, he was selected to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America First Team, becoming one of just two NCAA Division II men’s basketball players in the nation to earn both CSC Academic All-America First Team and Division II Conference Commissioners Association First Team All-America honors this season.

On the court, Kuehl established himself as one of the premier players in D-II basketball. The Iron Ridge, Wisconsin, native was named the D2CCA Midwest Region Player of the Year, becoming the first Wildcat to receive the honor. He also swept the GLIAC’s top individual awards, earning both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year recognition.

He was also a national finalist for two prestigious awards, the Trevor Hudgins Award and Bevo Francis Award.

Kuehl averaged 21.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while shooting 55.2% from the field, leading the Wildcats to a 28-7 record and the GLIAC regular season title. He scored a career-high 41 points on 15 of 20 shooting in the regular-season finale against Wisconsin-Parkside to clinch the conference title.

One game and two days earlier, he scored what was then a career-high 36 points vs. Roosevelt before exceeding that mark in the regular-season finale.

Northern Michigan University’s Dylan Kuehl, top, goes up to block a shot by Lake Superior State’s Karter Richards during their GLIAC Tournament semifinal game played at Vandament Arena in Marquette on March 7. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

Kuehl finished his career ranked No. 2 in program history with 2,197 points and leaves NMU as one of the most accomplished student-athletes in school history.

Story contents based on a

Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release reviewing the award. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.