NCAA ELITE 90 PROGRAM

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- Augsburg University men's hockey forward Austin Koss (JR, Huntington Beach, Calif./Huntington Beach HS) was named as the recipient of the NCAA Elite 90 Award as the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average competing at the NCAA Division III National Championships, announced prior to Augsburg's national semifinal game against Adrian (Mich.) on Friday.
 
Koss is a finance and marketing major with a perfect 4.00 grade-point average. It's the sixth time an Augsburg student-athlete has earned NCAA Elite 90 honors since the program started in the 2009-10 school year. Wrestler Victor Gliva earned the honor three straight years from 2018-20, Lauren Rice earned the honor for women's indoor track and field in 2014, and Tony Valek earned the honor for wrestling in 2012.
 
According to the NCAA: "The Elite 90, an award founded by the NCAA, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 90 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 90 championships."
 
Playing in 22 of Augsburg's 30 games this season, Koss has recorded three goals and four assists for seven points, including a power-play goal and a game-winning goal, as a center in the Auggie lineup. He has played in 36 games in his collegiate career, with eight goals and eight assists for 16 points. Koss played his junior hockey for the Corpus Christi IceRays of the NAHL.