(Peru, Neb.) – It was a perfect night and home opener for Bobcat football on August 31 as Peru State topped visiting Missouri Valley 47-21.
 
As has been the traditional for many years, the annual Swenson Award presentation took place at halftime of the football game with the Vikings.
 
This year was a little different as Peru State recognized not only the 2020-21 Swenson winners, but the 2019-20 winners as well. The College was not able to recognize the 19-20 awardees due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
About the Swenson Award
 
Each year since 1925, outstanding student-athletes have been presented with the Bert Swenson award in recognition of their participation in athletics, outstanding character, personality, service, and loyalty to Peru State. The award was created in memory of Bert and Stella Swenson's 13-month old son, Bert. Jr., who passed away.
 
Bert Swenson, Sr., was a football great who graduated from Peru State College in 1909. The Shickley, Nebraska, native served as the football team captain and class president during his senior year at PSC. In 2009, Mr. Swenson was honored posthumously with his induction into the PSC athletic hall of fame. 
 
Since 1999, a female and male selection has been made by members of the athletic department staff.
 
The Peru State College Foundation provided the honorees with a watch and commemorative medallion.

2019-20 and 2020-21 Recipients
 
The 2019-20 winners of the Swenson awards were Claire (Cudney) Renyer and Luis Constantino. The 2020-21 honorees were Vivian Brown and Nick Novak.
 
Recognizing the individuals at halftime were the College's First Lady Joanna Evans, Athletic Director Wayne Albury, and golf coach Sue Owen. Assisting with the presentation was Susan Unruh of the College's Foundation.
 
The following is what was shared with the crowd at halftime of the football game.
 
Claire (Cudney) Renyer
 
The first female honoree is former Bobcat volleyball and women's basketball player Claire (Cudney) Renyer. Claire was the 2019-20 honoree and her hometown was Marysville, Kansas.
 
Here are some highlights about Claire's career at Peru State:
 
Claire was both a two-time Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete and Heart of America Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete in both sports.
 
She was a three-year starter, a three-year letter winner, and earned Heart honorable mention recognition in both sports as well as being named to the volleyball second team one year.
 
Claire served as the team captain for volleyball two times.
 
Following her junior season, Claire was named as a National Strength and Conditioning Association All-American.
 
Academically, Claire was on the president's list five times (perfect 4.0 grade point average) and on the Dean's List three times.
 
At the end of her basketball career, Claire was listed in five different single-season or career categories for Peru State with her highest mark being 13^th in all-time career rebounding with 603 boards.
 
In volleyball, as a junior, she finished 18^th in a single season with 596 digs. The highlight of that year was having 51 digs in one match – tops in the NAIA.
 
Claire is presently teaching and coaching in Sabetha, Kansas.
 
Luis Constantino
 
Our 2019-20 male honoree is Luis Constantino.
 
From Varzea Grande, Brazil, Luis was a four-year member of the Bobcat football team.
 
Luis was a two-time Daktronics-NAIA and Heart Scholar Athlete.
He was on the president's list and was on the Dean's List six times.
 
For two years he was a Bobcat Elite Leader for the football team and was a captain during his senior season.
 
Luis earned Heart of America Athletic Conference honorable mention twice as a defensive lineman. In addition, he also earned honorable mention twice in the Omaha World-Herald All Nebraska NAIA/Division III honors.
 
After his junior season, Luis was named as a National Strength and Conditioning Association All-American.
 
As a senior, Luis was crowned as Peru State's homecoming king.
 
Presently, he is living in Beatrice and completing paperwork in order to start a master's program in kinesiology.
 
Vivian Brown
 
Our 2020-21 female honoree is Vivian Brown, a four-year member of the golf team, who came to Peru State from Wichita, Kansas.
 
One of the busiest student-athletes on campus, Vivian was able to manage her time well and graduated summa cum laude.
 
Vivian has Peru State's first-ever representative to the Heart Association of Student-Athletes. She was a three-year member of the Peru Association of Student-Athletes and served as president during her senior year.
 
She was a two-time NAIA and Heart Scholar-Athlete.
 
On campus, Vivian served as an Admissions Student Ambassador and an Admissions Top Cat, was a three-time member of the Campus Activities Board and was the Homegrown Chair-Committee Director.
 
In addition, she was a three-time member of the Peru Student Education Association and served that group as its secretary for two and one-half years. Vivian also was a part of a couple of the Dr. Seuss Day presentations.
 
This president's advisory council member was also in the Peru Student Catholic Union and Council for Exceptional Children for three years.
 
Finally, Vivian was a homecoming queen candidate and performed more than 100 hours of community service.
 
Vivian has begun her teaching career as a resource room educator at LeMay Elementary in the Bellevue Public School system.
 
Nick Novak
 
The male winner of the Swenson Award for 2020-21 is Nick Novak. Nick came to Peru State from Dawson and was a graduate of the Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer School.
 
A member of the Bobcat football team for four years, like the others, Nick has a list of excellent honors.
 
His highest honor was being named as a CoSIDA Academic All-America Football First Team – the 12^th Bobcat football player to earn the honor and the 39^th Bobcat to do so.
 
He was a three-year starter on special teams.
 
Nick graduated Summa Cum Laude and was an honors program graduate. He was on the President's List five times and was on the Dean's List six times. Nick was a Board of Trustees scholar coming out of HTRS.
 
He was twice named as an NAIA Scholar-Athlete and earned Heart Scholar-Athlete status three times.
 
Nick was a member of Lambda Alpha Epsilon – a criminal justice association – and served as the group's treasurer. At one of the national conferences, he was the physical agility test male winner.
 
He has served as a high school weightlifting and wrestling coach and has completed many hours of community service.
 
Presently, Nick is residing in Falls City and serving as a police officer after recently completing his training at the Nebraska Law Enforcement Academy.