BURNSVILLE, Minn. - Senior linebacker Ryan Gerts has been named the recipient of the 2014 Glen Galligan Award as voted by the NSIC football coaches, the NSIC announced today.

The award is given to a student-athlete who participates at his institution for four years and is academically superior while making a positive contribution to the institution. The Galligan Award was initiated in 1948 to honor an outstanding senior football player in the NSIC. Glen Galligan was the Winona State athletics director from 1929-47 and head football coach from 1927-33 and 1935.

Gerts excelled on the field, in the classroom and in his community. Gerts is very active with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Organization, spending the last year as a mentor to a youth from the Winona area. He helped organize drills and activities for the "Littles" at a WSU practice before the group participated in a tag football game. Gerts also volunteers at the local elementary schools reading to children and helped at local retirement homes. He was an active participant in the WSU athlete-run fundraiser called "48 Hour Practice", which helped raise over $1,000 to help develop water wells in Africa. Gerts also spends time in the Children's Wing of the Mayo Clinic volunteering for "Love Your Melon Foundation" which holds special themed events to give away donated hats to children battling cancer. Gerts was also one of 22 football players throughout all divisions of college football to earn a place on the 2014 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.

In the classroom, Gerts owns a 3.37 cumulative GPA as a Pre-Dentistry major. The Bloomingdale, Ill., native was the 2011 NSIC Defensive Newcomer of the Year, a 2013 & 2014 USA College Sports Preseason All-American and a team captain for the Warriors. He is a three-time NSIC All-Academic and All-NSIC team member as he finished his career at Winona State with 254 tackles, 25 for loss, four sacks and two interceptions from his linebacker position. Gerts did not miss a game for the Warriors over the past four seasons.

Gerts becomes the 14th Warrior to earn the Glen Galligan award in its 66 year history. Offensive lineman Marcus Greatens was the last Warrior to earn the honor in 2009.

WSU Glen Galligan Award Winners:

1954 Jerry Grebin (RB), Winona State
1957 Dave Mertes (C), Winona State
1961 Gale Sprute (LB), Winona State
1965 Ray Walsh (DB), Winona State
1968 Bill McNary (DT), Winona State
1973 Tim Mullaney (OG), Winona State
1979 Bob Stouffer (LB), Winona State
1983 Reggie Johnson (RB), Winona State
1991 Wayne Wicka (DE), Winona State
1994 Nate Gruber (SS), Winona State
2002 Bruce Carpenter (QB), Winona State
2006 John Tackmann (LB), Winona State
2009 Marcus Greatens (OL), Winona State
2014 Ryan Gerts (LB), Winona State