BURNSVILLE, Minn. -- MSU Moorhead senior guard Jacob Beeninga has been named the NSIC's Bob Olson Outstanding Senior of the Year Award winner.

Beeninga was voted by the league coaches as the winner of the NSIC Bob Olson Outstanding Senior of the Year Award. A native of Maple Grove, Minnesota, Beeninga is a graduate student majoring in accounting/finance and holds a 4.00 cumulative undergrad grade point average.

The "Bob Olson Outstanding Senior of the Year Award" is presented to a NSIC men's basketball student-athlete who participates at his institution for four years and is academically superior while making a positive contribution to his team and University. The Bob Olson Outstanding Senior of the Year award was initiated in 2020-21 to honor an outstanding senior that exemplifies the attributes of Bob Olson. Olson, a longtime basketball coach and administrator at Northern State University, is known for his loyalty, commitment and humility. The NSIC men's basketball coaches felt Olson exemplified the attributes of the NSIC and wanted to honor a graduating senior student-athlete from the league that emulated Olson's traits. 

On the court, Beeninga is a NSIC First Team selection in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, a part of two NSIC Tournament Championships (2022 and 2023), was the NSIC Tournament MVP in 2023. He has been honored with NABC All-District Second Team in 2023-24, and has surpassed the 1,500 career point mark. 

In the classroom, Beeninga is a two-time CSC All-District and First Team All-American selection. He has earned the NSIC Elite 18 Award for three straight years, the first student-athlete to achieve that milestone. He has also been an NSIC Academic Team of Excellence member for multiple seasons. 

In the community, Beeninga volunteers at Probstfield Elementary School, is an active member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, and served on SAAC during the 2022-23 school year. 

"Jacob is the perfect student-athlete to be honored with the Bob Olson Outstanding Senior of the Year Award. Jacob has epitomized what it means to be a student-athlete at the college level. He has received the highest of awards both on the court for his play both from a conference standpoint, as well as a national standpoint. Off the court, his work in the classroom has allowed him to be the only three-time NSIC Elite 18 Award winner, as well as countless honor rolls both in and out of his season of competition. Throughout his time at Minnesota State University Moorhead, Jacob has made everything and everybody around him better. His enthusiasm, attitude, tireless work ethic and infectious personality has positively impacted not only those at MSUM, but the entire Moorhead community. In the classroom, on the court, and in the community Jacob has been the gold standard of what it means to be a student-athlete in the NSIC," stated Head Coach Tim Bergstraser.