Women's Golf | 10/12/2026 11:05:00 AM

MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Haley Thoeny and UW-Stout Polytechnic's Brin Neumann have been selected as co-recipients of the 2026 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women's Golf Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award.

A senior from Lodi, Wis. (HS), Thoeny sustains a 4.00 grade point average and is majoring in personal finance with a minor in psychology. She secured a spot on the 2025-26 College Sports Communicators NCAA Division III Academic All-District® Women's At-Large Team. Thoeny is a member of Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society, as well as Beta Gamma Sigma. She is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll, has received academic scholarships from UW-La Crosse and earned Dean's List honors all semesters.

Thoeny is a three-time All-WIAC selection, receiving first team honors a year ago after claiming second team recognition in 2023 and 2024. In 2023, she added WIAC Newcomer of the Year accolades. Thoeny was named a National Strength and Conditioning Association Athlete of the Year for the 2025-26 academic year. A team captain this season, she has been a nominee for the UW-La Crosse Female Athlete of the Year and received the Golf in Life Award for the 2024-25 season.

Thoeny is a member of UW-La Crosse's Financial Planning Association and currently serving as secretary. She is also a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, as well as UW-La Crosse's Women in Business – and was chair of the social event committee for the 2024-25 academic year.
 
A senior from Warrens, Wis. (Tomah), Neumann is majoring in professional communication and emerging media with a focus in applied journalism and a minor in English writing and literature and communication studies. She maintains a 4.00 grade point average and secured a spot on the 2025-26 College Sports Communicators NCAA Division III Academic All-District® Women's At-Large Team. Neumann is a two-time Women's Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar, two-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and been recognized on her institution's Dean's List numerous semesters.
 
Neumann is a two-time All-WIAC selection, claiming first team honors a year ago and second team status in 2024. At the 2025 WIAC championship, she finished as the runner-up, helping the Blue Devils to their first conference title since 2016. A team captain this season, Neumann was an assistant captain during the 2025-26 campaign. She contributed to the team record single round score of 294 at the Wartburg College (Iowa) Fall Invitational Sept. 7, 2025.
 
Neumann is a student writer for the Stoutonia, social media manager for the women's golf program and member of the Professional Technical Communication Advisory Board. She is a member of UW-Stout Polytechnic's Pop Culture Club and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. 

UW-Eau Claire's Lilly Kaminski (Sr., Green Bay, Wis./Denmark) and UW-Whitewater's Megan Honn (Sr., LaFayette, Ind./LaFayette Jefferson) were also nominated for this year's scholar-athlete award.

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Judy Kruckman, who served as Assistant Commissioner for the WIAC from 1996-98. Prior to this appointment, she was Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WWIAC) from October, 1984 - September, 1996. Kruckman was the women's athletics director at UW-Eau Claire from 1974-84, and one of the original representatives to the WWIAC when it formed in 1971.

In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, she must be in her 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.