BURNSVILLE, Minn. - Northern State's Jordan Belka was voted by the league coaches as the winner of the NSIC Bob Olson Outstanding Senior of the Year Award.  A native of Rogers, Minnesota, Belka is a graduate student majoring in accounting and holds a 3.9 cumulative grade point average. Belka is the second Wolf to receive the honor after the inaugural winner, Andrew Kallman in 2020-21. 

The "Bob Olson Outstanding Senior of the Year Award" is presented to a NSIC men's basketball student-athlete who participates at his institution for four years and is academically superior while making a positive contribution to his team and University. The Bob Olson Outstanding Senior of the Year award was initiated in 2020-21 to honor an outstanding senior that exemplifies the attributes of Bob Olson. Olson, a longtime basketball coach and administrator at Northern State University, is known for his loyalty, commitment and humility. The NSIC men's basketball coaches felt Olson exemplified the attributes of the NSIC and wanted to honor a graduating senior student-athlete from the league that emulated Olson's traits. 

On the court, Belka has appeared in every game over his 5-year career at Northern State (146 games and counting). Currently he has scored over 1,200 career points as he averages 13.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg this season after averaging 14 ppg and 6.9 rpg in 2021-2022. He is a two-time All-NSIC Second Team  selection, a three-year team captain and a member of four NSIC Championship teams. He projects to finish in the Top 20 of Northern State's All-Time Leading Scorer list. 

Belka is a graduate accounting student with a double major in accounting and finance. He is a multiple time recipient  of the NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence and a 2022-23 CSC Academic All-District team member

In the community, Belka has assisted in the Aberdeen Book Drive, volunteered at the Aberdeen Salvation Army and has interned at Eide Bailley and Schwan Financial.  He has also coached at Northern State Youth Basketball Camps and represented the men's basketball team on the NSU student-athlete advisory committee. He has also been involved in the NSU Day of Champions.

"Jordan Belka has been nothing short of a model student-athlete during his career at Northern State. On the court he achieved great individual success while having a prominent leadership role on teams that have combined for a 114-32 record during his time in Aberdeen. In the classroom, he has a 3.9 cumulative GPA and already holds two Bachelor degrees as he works toward his Masters. In the community, he has immersed himself in serving the community while interning at two local businesses. In short, Jordan represents everything the Bob Olson Outstanding Senior Award is about," said Head Coach Saul Phillips.