Heart of America Athletic Conference Commissioner Larry Lady gives $1000 scholarships to the male and female athlete in the conference with the highest GPA each year. This year MidAmerica Nazarene University junior Kelsey Collins, a defender for the women’s Pioneer soccer team, is the recipient.

Collins maintained a 3.951 GPA throughout the 2010-2011 academic year while majoring in accounting and business administration. The Excelsior Springs, Mo., resident is the daughter of Bruce and Paula Collins also of Excelsior Springs.

MNU interim president Dr. Jim Diehl congratulated Collins saying, “It’s remarkable that Kelsey took first place out of 10 universities. Her achievement makes MNU look good and we are very proud of her accomplishment.”

MNU also captured the top honors in the HAAC for having the highest combined GPA’s of all its female athletes at 3.3141. MNU Men were third in the HAAC at 2.927.