NORTHBOROUGH, MASS. – The Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) announced its 2025 Scholar-Athletes of the Year, honoring the top student-athlete in NCAA Division I, II, and III and the NAIA. Nominees for the award must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of athletic eligibility, have at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA, and be a starter or significant reserve for their team.

Culver-Stockton College midfielder Bella Olson, a senior biology major from Kansas City, Mo. (Park Hill HS), concluded the academic year with an impressive 3.96 cumulative grade point average. A two-time Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete, she was also recognized with the General Chemistry Achievement Award by the college's biology department. Olson consistently excelled in the classroom, earning President's List honors five times and making the Provost's List once. Additionally, Olson served as a chemistry teacher's assistant and a chemistry tutor during her tenure on the Hill.

On the field, Olson was a three-year starter for the Wildcats and, although a junior athletically, graduated a year early. She set the school's single season assist record with 25 this past spring and also holds the program's career record for assists with 36. In addition, Olson set a single game record for assists with seven against Mount Mercy (Iowa) on March 19, 2025. She finished her career with 10 career goals and 46 career points, which ranks sixth on the program's all-time list.

In addition to Olson, Jillian Vervynck, a junior goalkeeper from Overland Park, Kan. (St. Thomas Aquinas), was named on the NAIA academic honor roll. Olson and Vervynck were two of 66 NAIA student athletes from 14 differe nt institutions to be recognized on the academic honor roll.