Hays earns finalist spot for American Rivers Scholar-Athlete of the Year
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Simpson College graduate Maddie Hays has been named a finalist for the 2024-25 Johanna Olson Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, as announced by the American Rivers Conference.
Hays is joined by Addison Parrott (Central, track and field and cross country) and Avery Decker (Nebraska Wesleyan, track and field) as this year's finalists. All three nominees will advance to a vote by the conference's nine faculty athletics representatives, with the winner set to be announced on Jan. 7, 2026.
A true multi-sport standout, Hays compiled an exceptional resume at Simpson across track and field and women's soccer, while also competing in women's tennis for one season. On the track, she earned NCAA Second Team All-America honors in the outdoor 400-meter hurdles in 2024, an event in which she also collected two all-region and all-conference awards for. A two-time team captain and back-to-back Track MVP, she was also recognized with the program's BOLT Team Leadership Award in 2025. Her impact on the record book was significant, as she holds three indoor school records (200, 300, and 400 meters) and ranks among the top six all-time at Simpson in five different outdoor events.
On the soccer pitch, Hays emerged as one of the program's most reliable defenders and leaders. A United Soccer Coaches Third Team All-Region selection in 2023 and A-R-C First Team All-Conference honoree in 2024, she helped guide the Storm to back-to-back NCAA Division III postseason appearances and 15-3-3 and 17-3-1 overall records. A four-time school record holder in penalty kicks, she was a perfect 9-for-9 from the spot across the 2023 and 2024 seasons. She added two A-R-C Defensive Player of the Week honors, served as team captain in 2024, and was recognized with multiple program awards, including Comeback Athlete of the Year, Defensive MVP, and Newcomer of the Year.
Beyond competition, she made a lasting impact through extensive leadership and service both on campus and in the Indianola community. She served as a marketing intern with Ronald McDonald Charities of Iowa and spent more than two years as a Fellowship of Christian Athletes huddle leader at Indianola High School and Middle School, while also contributing to the Simpson FCA Leadership Team. Her commitment to service included volunteering as an assistant coach for Indianola youth soccer, serving as a captain for Simpson College Dance Marathon, and supporting events such as the Tebow Foundation's Night to Shine. She also held a board position with the Hospital Homies pediatric visitation non-profit and volunteered with Upward Bound's poverty simulation, reflecting a broad dedication to community engagement.
Her campus leadership extended into academic, media, and mentorship roles. She served as editor of Simpson ID Magazine, sports editor for The Simpsonian, and an anchor and editor for the SCTV student newscast. She was also a student assistant and mentor for the First Year Seminar program, held PR and marketing leadership roles with multiple student organizations, and worked as an intern with Smith Chapel Religious Life.
Hays graduated summa cum laude in May with a degree in marketing communication and management, posting a 3.982 cumulative grade point average. She was a three-time USTFCCCA All-Academic Selection and five-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honoree. She was an Epsilon Sigma honor society member and earned American Rivers All-Academic honors in every eligible season. She's currently pursuing her master of business administration from Penn West University - Edinboro.
About the Johanna Olson A-R-C Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award
The American Rivers Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is named in honor of the late Johanna Olson, a former cross country and track & field student-athlete at Luther College who was the inaugural recipient of the award. Olson battled brain cancer for over 15 years before her fight ended on January 3, 2013 at age 33. She was originally diagnosed with a brain tumor as a college freshman in 1997 but went on to win the 2000 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship three years to the day after her initial brain surgery. In addition to the national title in cross country, she won three Conference Individual Championships and three Conference Most Valuable Runner awards (1999, 2000, 2001). In track and field, she was the 2001 Conference Most Valuable Performer, earning All-America honors in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter runs. Olson was also a member of the 2021 distance medley relay team that captured the indoor national title. She was named the United States Track Coaches Association (USTCA) regional and national Athlete of the Year in both cross country and track & field in 2000-01. In 1999, Olson was presented the Honda Awards Inspirational Athlete of the Year after returning from radiation treatments to compete at the national level.
