NDSU linebacker Cole Wisniewski is the recipient of the Elite 90 award for the 2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game. It is the second straight year he has won the award.

Wisniewski, a junior from Sparta, Wisconsin, has a 4.00 grade-point average majoring in business administration. He was presented with the award during the NDSU team photo session Jan. 6 at Toyota Stadium.

The Elite 90, an honor founded by the NCAA, is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's championships.

This is NDSU’s 18th Elite 90 Award across five different sports, and Wisniewski is the ninth at the FCS championship game. He joins linebacker Esley Thorton (2013), quarterback Carson Wentz (2014-16), wide receiver Daniel Polansky (2018), tight end Ben Ellefson (2019) and linebacker Jackson Hankey (2020).

Eligible student-athletes are sophomores or above academically who have participated in a sport for at least two years with their school. All ties are broken by the number of credits completed.

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