SAINT PETER, Minn. — Megan Geraets capped off an impressive junior season with the highest honor awarded by the department – Female Athlete of the Year. Geraets, a dual threat athlete, represented the Gustie track & field team at both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships in the 200-meter and long jump. The Mankato native earned a total four All-America laurels this season, taking seventh in the indoor 200-meter with a time of 24.83 for the first First Team honor of her career. She then earned USTFCCCA Second Team All-America three times over, collecting the honor in the indoor and outdoor long jump as well as the outdoor 200-meter. Geraets was All-Region in six events, posting the best time in the North in the indoor and outdoor 200- and 400-meter sprints. 

Geraets had the performance of the meet at the MIAC Outdoor Championships, collecting five All-Conference honors and winning the 200, 400, and 4×100 relay. She set school records in six events (indoor/outdoor 400M, indoor/outdoor 200M, outdoor long jump, and the 4×200 relay), and now owns the MIAC all-time and meet records in the 200-meter, both indoor and outdoor.

Outside of competition, Geraets has a cumulative GPA of 3.79 while double majoring in chemistry and chemistry teaching, with a minor in coaching with the goal of teaching chemistry at a high school level. Geraets has been named to the College's Dean's List in all six of her semesters and serves in a variety of campus leadership roles. The junior serves on the Track & Field Service and Justice Leadership Team, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), is a member of the Student Educators Association, and works a job on campus. Geraets was also chosen to plan the Midwest Association of Chemistry Teachers at Liberal Arts Colleges Conference, which will be held on campus in September.

"Megan started off the year quietly putting together one of the best seasons in school history and then ended her season with a bang," said Head Coach Aaron Lund. "Her performances at the indoor and outdoor conference championships – where it matters the most – led to many school, conference, championship meet, and facility records. She led this team in a big way this year by scoring the most amount of points out of all athletes at the championship meets. 

"Megan became only the third athlete in school history to achieve All-America honors in a running event during the indoor season," continued Lund. "Knowing the history of our program and the difficulty of these achievements, what she has accomplished this year was nothing short of amazing. Along with our school history, Megan also became the fastest 200-meter and 400-meter runner in the history of the MIAC. The progress she has made this season has been remarkable. She has worked incredibly hard this year and I am so proud of the great leader she has become for our team!"

This year's Athlete of the Year ballot included five women and five men. The women were Geraets, Syd Hauger (basketball), Hailey Holland (hockey), Katie McCoy (hockey), and Kasie Tweet (volleyball). Geraets and McCoy finished first and second in the voting, with Tweet in third. Jake Breitbach and the duo of Gage Gohl and Tyler Haddorff shared the Male Athlete of the Year Award. Volleyball and men's tennis were named teams of the year, while swimmers Stella Anderson Moye and Logan Cyr collected Newcomer of the Year honors. 

Gustavus Athletes of the Year
2000-01: Andrea Kleven (first year, swimming, track & field), Eric Butorac (sophomore, tennis)
2001-02: Sarah Moe (senior, hockey), Ryan Hoag (junior, football, track & field)
2002-03: Molly Biehn (junior, softball), Luke Speltz (senior, track & field)
2003-04: Angie Peterson (senior, basketball), Luke Benoit (senior, golf)
2004-05: Tara Houlihan (junior, volleyball, tennis), Joe Hartwell (senior, soccer)
2005-06: Hailey Harren (junior, cross country), Bobby Kroog (senior, soccer)
2006-07: Andrea Peterson (senior, hockey), Tony Konicek (senior, baseball)
2007-08: Lisa Brown (junior, track & field), Andy Bryan (senior, tennis)
2008-09: Rachael Click (senior, softball), Matt Stewart (senior, swimming)
2009-10: Melissa Mackley (senior, hockey), David Martinson (senior, hockey)
2010-11: Janey Helland (senior, track & field), Whitaker Davis (senior, swimming)
2011-12: Alissa Tinklenberg (sophomore, swimming), Ross Ring-Jarvi (senior, hockey)
2012-13: Lindsey Hjelm (senior, hockey), Alex Kolquist (senior, golf)
2013-14: Alissa Tinklenberg (senior, swimming), Jeffrey Dubose (senior, football)
2014-15: Jenny Strom (senior, swimming), David Lilly (senior, soccer)
2015-16: Alex Kopp (senior, gymnastics), Matt Boyce (senior, football)
2016-17: Nora Holtan (sophomore, volleyball), Tanner Sonnek (sophomore, swimming)
2017-18: Nora Holtan (junior, volleyball), Mohanad Alhouni (senior, tennis)
2018-19: Nora Holtan (senior, volleyball), Michael Hensch (senior, track & field)
2019-20: no awards presented due to pandemic-shortened and canceled seasons
2020-21: no awards presented due to pandemic-shortened and canceled seasons
2021-22: Birgen Nelson (junior, track & field), Jack Hanson (senior, baseball)
2022-23: Birgen Nelson (senior, track & field), Nick Aney (senior, tennis)
2023-24: Megan Geraets (junior, track & field), Jake Breitbach (senior, football), Gage Gohl/Tyler Haddorff (sophomores, tennis)