Kuntz and Rogers to Receive MAC Medal of Excellence Awards
May 29, 2025 | Men's Golf, Track & Field, Cardinal Varsity Club
CLEVELAND -- Ball State golfer Braxton Kuntz and track star Jenelle Rogers are among 24 Mid-American Conference (MAC) student-athletes who will be honored with the Medal of Excellence Award during the 2025 Honors Dinner Ceremony at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Tower as part of MAC Spring Meetings on Thursday, May 29th.
The Medal of Excellence is an award presented annually to one male and one female student-athlete from the graduating class of each of the 12 Conference member institutions. To be honored with the Medal of Excellence Award, student-athletes had to participate on the varsity level in a conference sponsored sport and shown evidence of academic success with a minimum 3.50 accumulative grade-point average, exhibited athletics excellence, leadership and service. Selection of the recipients was made by each MAC institution.
Kuntz is a Ball State senior who sports the lowest stroke average on the Cardinals' men's golf team which finished first in the MAC in 2024 and second in 2025. Besides owning a 3.96 GPA in finance, the lefty-swinging Canadian transferred to Ball State in Fall 2023, and has etched his name among the Cardinals' top student-athletes ever since. Besides owning Ball State's top scoring average this year, he fired perhaps the finest round ever by a Ball State golfer, with a course record at the UNC Finley Golf Club and a program-record-tying 62 in the opening round of the 2024 NCAA Chapel Hill Regional. He led the NCAA field after 18 holes with what was the best opening round of an NCAA Regional since at least 1998. Kuntz is a two-time MAC Golfer of the Week whose best finish this year was a third-place finish at the Bryan National Collegiate in Greensboro, N.C. Besides leading the Cardinals in MAC and NCAA competition, he is the only four-time champion of the Manitoba Amateur Open – winning the top amateur competition in his province for the fourth straight year in 2024. He has been named to Team Canada's roster for 2025, and he has played in PGA Tour Canada events in each of the past three years, in advance of a hopeful professional career.Â
Rogers completed her college eligibility last winter after exemplifying superior excellence on the track as well as in the classroom. Majoring in interior design with a 3.949 GPA, the Oswego, Illinois, native capped her storied career in March by becoming only the third, four-time All-American in Cardinals track history. Specializing in multi events on the track, the powerful thrower, runner and jumper finished seventh or better in four consecutive NCAA championship events. She earned her first All-America recognition while finishing fifth in the heptathlon at the NCAA outdoor championships in 2023. She finished second in the pentathlon at last year's indoor championships, she finished fourth in the heptathlon in the 2024 NCAA outdoor event in Eugene, Oregon. She capped her career with her fourth All-America award at the 2025 NCAA Indoor Championships at Virginia Beach, Virginia. Rogers won three straight MAC multi-event championships over her past two seasons, setting the MAC Championships record in the heptathlon and recording the best heptathlon score by any MAC athlete during the 2023 NCAA outdoor championships. She earned a spot in the U.S. Olympic Trials last summer, then donned the red, white and blue last July in the Thorpe Cup, an annual USA dual meet with Germany.
2025 Medal of Excellence Award Winners – Ball State
Braxton Kuntz, Golf, Finance, 3.96 GPA
Jenelle Rogers, Track & Field, Interior Design, 3.94 GPA
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The Medal of Excellence is an award presented annually to one male and one female student-athlete from the graduating class of each of the 12 Conference member institutions. To be honored with the Medal of Excellence Award, student-athletes had to participate on the varsity level in a conference sponsored sport and shown evidence of academic success with a minimum 3.50 accumulative grade-point average, exhibited athletics excellence, leadership and service. Selection of the recipients was made by each MAC institution.
Kuntz is a Ball State senior who sports the lowest stroke average on the Cardinals' men's golf team which finished first in the MAC in 2024 and second in 2025. Besides owning a 3.96 GPA in finance, the lefty-swinging Canadian transferred to Ball State in Fall 2023, and has etched his name among the Cardinals' top student-athletes ever since. Besides owning Ball State's top scoring average this year, he fired perhaps the finest round ever by a Ball State golfer, with a course record at the UNC Finley Golf Club and a program-record-tying 62 in the opening round of the 2024 NCAA Chapel Hill Regional. He led the NCAA field after 18 holes with what was the best opening round of an NCAA Regional since at least 1998. Kuntz is a two-time MAC Golfer of the Week whose best finish this year was a third-place finish at the Bryan National Collegiate in Greensboro, N.C. Besides leading the Cardinals in MAC and NCAA competition, he is the only four-time champion of the Manitoba Amateur Open – winning the top amateur competition in his province for the fourth straight year in 2024. He has been named to Team Canada's roster for 2025, and he has played in PGA Tour Canada events in each of the past three years, in advance of a hopeful professional career.Â
Rogers completed her college eligibility last winter after exemplifying superior excellence on the track as well as in the classroom. Majoring in interior design with a 3.949 GPA, the Oswego, Illinois, native capped her storied career in March by becoming only the third, four-time All-American in Cardinals track history. Specializing in multi events on the track, the powerful thrower, runner and jumper finished seventh or better in four consecutive NCAA championship events. She earned her first All-America recognition while finishing fifth in the heptathlon at the NCAA outdoor championships in 2023. She finished second in the pentathlon at last year's indoor championships, she finished fourth in the heptathlon in the 2024 NCAA outdoor event in Eugene, Oregon. She capped her career with her fourth All-America award at the 2025 NCAA Indoor Championships at Virginia Beach, Virginia. Rogers won three straight MAC multi-event championships over her past two seasons, setting the MAC Championships record in the heptathlon and recording the best heptathlon score by any MAC athlete during the 2023 NCAA outdoor championships. She earned a spot in the U.S. Olympic Trials last summer, then donned the red, white and blue last July in the Thorpe Cup, an annual USA dual meet with Germany.
2025 Medal of Excellence Award Winners – Ball State
Braxton Kuntz, Golf, Finance, 3.96 GPA
Jenelle Rogers, Track & Field, Interior Design, 3.94 GPA
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