Bruins celebrate 2025-26 success at 52nd Annual Awards Banquet

BELLEVUE, Neb. — The Bellevue University Athletic Department celebrated its top student-athletes, coaches, and support staff at the annual Athletics Awards Banquet, recognizing achievement in competition, in the classroom, in performance training, and in service to Bruin Athletics during the 2025-26 academic year.

The evening was highlighted by the presentation of the department's major annual awards, including Male and Female Athlete of the Year, Male and Female Academic Athlete of the Year, Male and Female Lifter of the Year, Student Athletic Trainer of the Year, and the Bruin Award.

Athlete of the Year Awards

Carter Claerhout, a graduate student first baseman, was named the BU Male Athlete of the Year after putting together one of the top offensive seasons in program history.

As of May 18, Claerhout ranked first nationally in batting average (.491), slugging percentage (.969), OPS (1.502), home runs (29), hits (110), total bases (217), and extra-base hits (48). He also ranked fifth nationally with 86 RBIs and sixth with 78 runs scored.

Claerhout's 29 home runs set a Bellevue single-season record, highlighting a 2026 season that placed him among the top offensive performers in program history. He also set BU single-season records for slugging percentage, OPS, total bases, and extra-base hits, while ranking second in batting average and RBIs, third in hits, fifth in runs scored, and sixth in on-base percentage.

Claerhout was named the Frontier Conference Player of the Year, first-team all-Frontier Conference, a Frontier Conference Gold Glove Team selection at first base, and a Frontier Conference All-Tournament Team honoree. He was also a two-time NAIA National Player of the Week and a five-time Frontier Conference Player of the Week during the season.

Eve Fountain, a graduate student outside hitter on the Bellevue University volleyball team, was selected as the BU Female Athlete of the Year after capping one of the most decorated careers in program history with another standout season in 2025.

Fountain earned first-team AVCA and NAIA All-American honors, was named the Frontier Conference Attacker of the Year, and received first-team all-Frontier Conference and first-team AVCA all-North Region recognition. She was also selected to the NAIA National Championship All-Tournament Team after helping lead the Bruins to the national quarterfinals.

Fountain led Bellevue with 372 kills, 44 service aces, and 447.0 points while ranking second on the team with 370 digs. She averaged 3.18 kills and 3.16 digs per set, added 52 total blocks, and posted a team-best 14 double-doubles. She led the Frontier Conference in total kills, ranked second in service aces, and finished 15th in digs. Fountain recorded double-figure kills in 22 matches and double-figure digs in 19.

Fountain broke Bellevue's career kills record and finished with 1,917 kills. She also closed her career ranked sixth in program history with 161 service aces and sixth with 1,918 digs.

For her career, Fountain was a three-time first-team NAIA All-American, four-time first-team all-conference selection, four-time first-team AVCA all-region honoree, and five-time all-conference selection overall. She was also the 2025 Frontier Conference Attacker of the Year, the 2020 NSAA Freshman of the Year, the 2020 AVCA North Central Region Freshman of the Year, and the 2024-25 Omaha World-Herald all-Midlands Athlete of the Year.

Academically, Fountain earned first-team CSC Academic All-America honors in 2025 after receiving second-team recognition in 2024. She was also a three-time CSC Academic All-District selection, a four-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete, and a six-time conference scholar-athlete.

Academic Athlete of the Year Awards

Kenji Miller, a senior left-handed pitcher on the Bellevue University baseball team, was named the BU Male Academic Athlete of the Year. Miller earned his bachelor's degree in biology from Bellevue and is currently pursuing his master's degree in data science while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

Miller earned first-team all-Frontier Conference, Frontier Conference All-Tournament Team, Frontier Conference Champion of Character, NAIA Scholar-Athlete, and academic all-Frontier Conference honors during the 2026 season.

On the mound, Miller went 10-1 with a 4.45 ERA, leading the Bruins with 85 innings pitched and 98 strikeouts. He made 15 appearances, including 14 starts, for a Bellevue team that was 50-6 overall and 24-0 in conference play as of May 19. Miller's season highlights included 11 strikeouts over eight innings in an 11-1 win over No. 25 Central Methodist and 10 strikeouts against Valley City State.

Audrey Sandfort, a senior defensive specialist on the Bellevue University volleyball team, was selected as the BU Female Academic Athlete of the Year. Sandfort carries a 4.0 GPA in business analytics and earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete and academic all-Frontier Conference honors.

Sandfort was also named Bellevue's representative as the Frontier Conference Champion of Character, in recognition of her commitment to character, leadership, and service.

On the court, Sandfort appeared in 85 sets while contributing in multiple roles as a libero, defensive specialist, and serving specialist. She recorded 152 digs, averaging 1.79 per set, while adding 10 service aces and 15 assists. Sandfort posted a season-high 19 digs against College of Idaho on Aug. 22 and added 17 digs in the Bruins' sweep of Indiana Wesleyan on Aug. 29. She reached double figures in digs five times during the season.

Lifter of the Year Awards

RJ Smith, a senior center on the Bellevue University men's basketball team, was named the BU Male Lifter of the Year after helping the Bruins to a runner-up finish in the Frontier Conference regular-season standings, an at-large berth to the NAIA National Tournament, and a run to the NAIA Round of 16.

Smith started all 32 games and averaged 12.0 points and a team-best 8.4 rebounds per game while shooting 67.1 percent from the field. He led the Frontier Conference in rebounding and ranked second in field goal percentage.

Smith recorded six double-doubles during the season, including 19 points and 14 rebounds against Hastings, 19 points and 11 rebounds against Mission, 16 points and 13 rebounds against Waldorf, 14 points and 15 rebounds against Mayville State, 14 points and 14 rebounds at Montana Tech, and 21 points and 11 rebounds against Graceland in the NAIA National Tournament.

Aspen Meyer, a junior outside hitter on the Bellevue University volleyball team, was selected as the BU Female Lifter of the Year after returning to competition following a season-ending knee injury in 2024-25.

Meyer appeared in seven sets over four matches during the 2025 season, totaling six kills, two digs, and two block assists. Her return included a season-high three kills in Bellevue's five-set home win over then-No. 1 Providence on Nov. 1. She also finished with two kills in the Bruins' sweep of Bismarck State on Oct. 11 and added one kill in a road win at Montana Tech on Oct. 23.

Student Athletic Trainer of the Year

Abigail Murphy was named the Bellevue University Student Athletic Trainer of the Year.

Bruin Award

Rob Brown, the only head coach in Bellevue University men's golf history, received the Bruin Award in recognition of his 15-year tenure building the program from its launch into one of the NAIA's consistent national contenders.

Brown was hired in 2010 to start the Bruins' men's golf program and led Bellevue through its first varsity season in 2011-12. Under his direction, the program captured 12 conference championships, won 48 team tournament titles, and qualified for the NAIA National Tournament 12 times.

Bellevue became a fixture on the national stage during Brown's tenure, recording five top-10 finishes at the NAIA National Championships. The Bruins placed a program-best third nationally in 2022 and finished fifth in 2013. His 2024-25 squad added a seventh-place national finish, continuing a run of national success that spanned more than a decade.

Brown was named Conference Coach of the Year 12 times and earned two GCAA Regional Coach of the Year honors. He coached 15 NAIA All-Americans, 48 first-team all-conference selections, and 10 Conference Golfers of the Year. His impact also extended to the classroom, where 43 student-athletes earned conference scholar-athlete recognition during his tenure.

Before launching Bellevue men's golf, Brown had nearly 40 years of professional golf experience, including time teaching alongside Al Geiberger and serving as a head professional at Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa, and The Minikahda Club in Minneapolis. An accomplished player, Brown is a former Iowa State Open champion, five-time Iowa PGA Senior Champion, and U.S. Senior Open qualifier.

Brown will retire following the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.

Athletic Department Recognition

Bellevue University Athletics congratulates all award recipients and extends its appreciation to the student-athletes, coaches, staff, and supporters who contributed to the success of Bruin Athletics during the 2025-26 academic year.