Madison, Wis. - University of Wisconsin-La Crosse senior Brady Horstmann of Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Xavier) has been named the recipient of the 2026 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men's Tennis Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award, the league office announced Thursday.
Double-majoring in biochemistry and biomedical science, Horstmann maintains a 3.79 grade point average. He is a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® honoree (2023 and 2024) and Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar Athlete (2024 and 2025). Horstmann has landed on the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll three times and been recognized on UWL's Dean's List numerous semesters. He received the Dean's Distinguished Fellowship in 2025 and an Undergraduate Research & Creativity Grant in 2025 and 2026.
A three-year team captain, Horstmann is a three-time member of the WIAC All-Sportsmanship Team. He posted a 13-8 record in singles action this year and a 6-1 mark in doubles competition. In his four-year career, Horstmann was 49-40 in singles and 40-29Â in doubles.Â
Brady Horstmann won 89 matches in his career.
Horstmann is a member of the WIAC Student-Athlete Committee and UWL's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, serving on the Executive Committee the last two years. He is on the Student Senate and has participated in the Vanguard Organization providing campus tours. Horstmann is a Certified Pharmacy Technician and Immunizer. He participated in the Wisconsin Science Education and Research Consortium in 2026.
He is the first UWL student-athlete to be named the WIAC Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete since the conference reinstated the sport in 2023-24.
UW-Eau Claire's Ethan Leeser (Sr., Rochester, Minn./Rochester Lourdes) was also nominated for this year's scholar-athlete award.
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.
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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.
