Delta College's Brooke Swartz Earns 2026 Dick Shilts Female Student-Athlete of the Year Award

Delta College two-sport student-athlete, Brooke Swartz, has been selected as the 2026 Dick Shilts Female Student-Athlete of the Year. Swartz, a NJCAA Division III Women's Soccer First Team All-American and the 2025 United Soccer Coaches Junior College Scholar Player of the Year, was named the recipient of this year's honor following a vote of the association's leadership. Now in its sixth year, the Dick Shilts Award annually recognizes one female and one male student-athlete from the MCCAA who excels in their sport, in the classroom, and in co-curricular activities. 

On the pitch, the talented midfielder helped lead Delta College to back-to-back NJCAA Division III National Championships in 2024 and 2025. This past season, Swartz tallied 37 points on 15 goals and seven assists and was responsible for three game-winning goals as part of Delta's 17-0-1 campaign. The outstanding season led to All-Region and All-MCCAA honors prior to Swartz's All-American nod.

The two-sport student-athlete also earned Honorable Mention All-Northern Conference honors on the hardwood after averaging 7.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for Delta's women's basketball team.

Swartz boasts a near perfect GPA and will be majoring in speech and language pathology and has been active in community service events.

The Dick Shilts Award honors the legacy of Dick Shilts, a revered figure who served as the Athletic Director at Kalamazoo Valley Community College for many years and held the distinction of being the longest-serving MCCAA President in association history. Throughout his tenure, Shilts advocated for the recognition of individual academic achievements within the MCCAA and spearheaded various initiatives to enhance the association's mission and impact.