After celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Swenson Award winners last fall, Ellie Ohlde of Fairbury, Neb., and Easton Hall of Schuyler, Neb., have been announced as the initial second-century recipients for the 2024-25 school year.
Ohlde, a Bobcat softball player, and Hall, a Peru State men's basketball player, were selected by the full-time members of the athletic department as their picks to start the second century of Swenson winners.
The Swenson Awards will be presented Saturday, Sept. 6, at 6 p.m. when the Bobcats host Baker in the historic Oak Bowl.
Ellie Ohlde
A four-year starter on the softball team at shortstop, Ohlde earned Heart of America Athletic Conference Second Team All-Conference this past season. She had 35 hits, 15 RBI's, and batted .292 this past spring. Ohlde tallied 16 runs for the Bobcats and finished the season with 83 assists and had an .867 fielding percentage. In her first three seasons, Ohlde had received all-conference honorable mention.
For three consecutive seasons, Ohlde was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team. In addition, she was named as a Daktronics – NAIA Scholar-Athlete and a Heart Scholar-Athlete three times.
Ohlde is the daughter of John and Lori Ohlde of Fairbury.
Easton Hall
A four-year member of the Bobcat men's basketball team, Hall was a key contributor to the team while coming off the bench and being a mainstay on scout teams for practices. Hall played in ten contests his senior season after playing in 12 as a junior.
While a varsity member, Hall and his teammates competed in back-to-back-to-back NAIA National Championships. In addition, the Bobcats won the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament title during his junior campaign.
Hall was a three-time Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete as well as a three-time Heart of America Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete.
He is the son of Andy '89 and Shanda Hall of Schuyler and the grandson of Randy (attd. 70s) and Lori '87 Gottula of Elk Creek and Donna Gottula of Auburn.
Awards by Peru State College Foundation
The awards are presented to the winners through an endowment provided by the Peru State College Foundation.
