Day of Champions sign with students loading bus in background

ABERDEEN, S.D. – On April 17, Northern State University student-athletes will team up with the United Way of Northeastern South Dakota in service to the Aberdeen area community.

Saturday is the 19th annual Day of Champions, and the Wolves will spend the day volunteering at various community organizations, performing tasks from cleaning to painting to yard cleanup.

The Day of Champions started in 2002 as a collaborative effort between the NSU Athletic Department and the United Way. Since then, a total of 2,561 Northern State student-athletes have worked on more than 205 projects with 18,605 hours of labor – which equates to over $193,000 worth of donated labor.

“NSU student-athletes may come from all over the United States and beyond, but right now they live, work, play and study in this community,” said United Way of Northeastern South Dakota Communications and Impact Coordinator Angie Cleberg. “On this day, the student volunteers know their time and energy are used to make a difference where they currently call home. What binds us together is a powerful sense of belonging – to each other, the mission of our organizations and the community we serve.”

This year, the Wolves will volunteer at 14 locations around the area, including: Aberdeen Community Theatre, Aberdeen Area Humane Society, Aberdeen Ride Line, Aberdeen Family YMCA and Youth Development Center, Fallout Creative Community, Boys and Girls Club, Dacotah Prairie Museum, Journey Home, Journey Daycare, New Beginnings Center, Salvation Army, Sanford Health, and SPURS.

“We are excited for the Day of Champions. It is very important for us to get back in the Aberdeen Community and let them know how important they are to NSU,” said NSU Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance Terri Holmes. “It is also a sign of getting back to normal for our student-athletes. Our student-athletes appreciate all that the community of Aberdeen does on a daily basis and this is one way that we can show our gratitude.”

The event is sponsored by NSU Athletics, United Way of Northeastern S.D., Eide Bailly, Target of Aberdeen, Twist Cone, Jimmy Johns, QQP, 3M, Dacotah Bank and Aberdeen Sertoma Club.

Follow the Wolves on social media throughout the day for updates from across the region.

About Northern State University

Northern State University is a student-centered institution that provides an outstanding educational experience, preparing students through the liberal arts and professional education for their future endeavors. A regional university, Northern offers rigorous academics; diverse civic, social and cultural opportunities; and a commitment to building an inclusive environment for all points of view. Northern also offers a broad-based athletics program, sponsoring 15 NCAA Division II intercollegiate varsity sports that compete in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NSIC). The university strives to enrich the community through partnerships such as its Educational Impact Campaign, which opened a new South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired; new athletic and recreation fields; and, soon, an on-campus regional sports complex. With the $55 million campaign, NSU has been the recipient of more than $120 million in privately funded building projects and scholarships within a decade. To learn more, visit NSU Admissions.