CSN MIAC SENIOR STUDENT-ATHLETE AWARD RELEASE
AUGSBURG NOW FEATURE ON JORDAN BERG

MINNEAPOLIS -- Augsburg College football quarterback Jordan Berg (SR, Gaylord, Minn./Sibley East HS) was named as one of three finalists for the fourth annual College Sporting News Senior Student-Athlete Award for the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, it was announced on Monday.

The CSN Senior Student-Athlete Award is awarded to one male and one female senior student-athlete who personify what the MIAC and NCAA Division III athletics represent: academic excellence, outstanding athletic performance, and a commitment to community service.

Berg was named as one of three male finalists for the award, joining St. John's golfer Joe Daly and Hamline basketball player Tony Thrasher. Female finalists were Gustavus softball player Rachael Click, St. Thomas volleyball player Katie McCaffrey and St. Thomas cross country/track athlete Katie Theisen. The finalists were picked from a pool of nine male student-athletes nominated from MIAC schools, and selected by a CSN committee of former conference student-athletes, along with administrators and coaches. The award-winner will be announced next week.

Berg finished his three-season career at Augsburg as the top passing quarterback in school history. In his career, Berg finished with 8,777 passing yards (292.6 yards per-game) on 796-of-1,350 pasing with 74 touchdowns -- all school records. Berg also holds the MIAC's career passing yardage record (conference games-only) with 7,414 yards in 24 league games.

Berg completed 297-of-499 passes for 3,226 yards and 25 touchdowns against just 14 interceptions in 2008, the completion total a single-season school record. Each of the other passing totals were the second-most in a single season in school history, behind his numbers from 2007. Nationally in 2008, Berg finished second among Division III quarterbacks in completions per-game (29.70), fourth in passing yardage per-game (322.60), ninth in total passing yardage (3,226), ninth in total offense yardage per-game (314.2) and 22nd in points responsible for per-game (17.00). Berg led the MIAC in passing yardage per-game and total offense in both overall (322.6, 314.2) and conference games-only (333.4, 320.6).

In 2008, Berg was named as one of 10 finalists, and later as one of four regional finalists, for the Gagliardi Trophy, given to the top student-athlete in NCAA Division III football. Berg was also named first-team All-MIAC, his second all-conference honor, after being named second-team All-MIAC in 2007. He was also named to the D3football.com All-West Region second team. In November, he was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District first team. A physics major with a 3.773 grade-point average, he was an Academic All-MIAC honoree in both 2007 and 2008. He is a team co-captain.

At the recent Auggie Awards, Berg was selected as Augsburg's Male Honor Athlete, the highest honor given to Augsburg's senior student-athletes for athletic and academic excellence.

In addition to his athletic and academic credentials, Berg has served as a volunteer at local food shelves and a volunteer coach at youth basketball camps. He took part in a mission trip to Benton Harbor, Mich., to volunteer at a local Boys and Girls Club and help refurbish and paint homes of people in need. He has volunteered for Adopt-a-Highway trash pickup efforts, as well as park cleanup for Earth Day. He has taken part in Christmas caroling with a church group at an area nursing home/Heritage House, and has worked as a volunteer teacher's assistant with elementary physical education classes.

A skilled artist, Berg has designed logos for the football team and Augsburg's Student Athlete Advisory Committee, along with painting a mural for the Augsburg football locker room and desigining tattoos for both himself and his teammates. He has also restored his own Harley-Davidson motorcycle.