Men's Swimming and Diving

UW-La Crosse’s Cleveland Named Men’s Swimming & Diving Max Sparger Scholar Athlete

MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Connor Cleveland has been named the recipient of the 2025 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Swimming & Diving Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award.

 A senior from Sheboygan, Wis. (North), Cleveland sustains a 3.91 grade point average and is majoring in exercise & sport science. He secured a spot on the 2023-24 Academic All-District Men’s Swimming & Diving Team, selected by the College Sports Communicators. Cleveland has been a member of Golden Key International Honor Society since 2002, and received a scholarship from the organization in 2023. He is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and been recognized on UW-La Crosse’s Dean’s List numerous semesters.
 
Cleveland is a three-time conference champion, winning the 200-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard freestyle relay in 2024, after placing first in the 400-yard freestyle relay in 2023. He is in his second year as team captain and received the team’s Eagle Award in 2023 and 2024.
 
Cleveland is a member of UW-La Crosse’s Pre Med Club, Exercise & Sport Science Club and Golf Club. He has worked as a behavior treatment technician for Impact – Inspiring Minds Pediatric Autism Consultation and Therapy Clinic, as well as a facility attendant at Sports Core. Cleveland has volunteered with District 901 Gym, Special Olympics, Salvation Army, Wafer Food Pantry, Volunteers Across the World, Gunderson Hospital Emergency Department, Aurora Medical Center Sheboygan County, and UW-La Crosse’s Athletic Department.
 
Also nominated for this year’s scholar-athlete award were:  UW-Eau Claire’s Evan Schroeder (Sr., Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee); UW-Stevens Point’s Beckett McGraw (Sr., Oswego, Ill./Oswego); and UW-Whitewater’s Isaac Schroeder (So., Waukesha, Wis./Homeschool).
 
The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Max Sparger, who served as commissioner of the Wisconsin State University Conference for 22 years from 1971-93. He oversaw the transition of the conference from NAIA to full NCAA membership. Sparger arrived at UW-Stout in 1959 and served the institution in a variety of capacities, including an assistant football and basketball coach, head wrestling coach and head football coach. He served as UW-Stout's athletics director from 1969-71 and was inducted into the WIAC Hall of Fame in 2012.
 
In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, he must be in his last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years. The award is based on academic achievements, athletics accomplishments and involvement in other campus activities, organizations and community service projects.
 
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