Iowa State University Athletics
Iowa State Announces Student-Athletes of the Month
12.18.2018 | Athletics, Academic Services
AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State Office of Student-Athlete Development announced that four Cyclone student-athletes have been honored for their hard work and dedication in the classroom during the month of November. Iowa State's Student-Athletes of the Month are Emma Ruehle (swimming & diving), Nia Washington (basketball), Tripp Kinney (golf) and Keontae Jones (football).
Merin Mundt (soccer) was also honored by the Office of Student-Athlete Development as the Community Service Student-Athlete of the Month.
Emma Ruehle – Junior (Swimming & Diving)
Hometown:Â Plymouth, Minn.
Major:Â Kinesiology & Health
Ruehle is off to a strong start to her junior season. She's among Iowa State's top five performers in four individual events, including a personal season-best time of 1:51.48 in the 200 free. Academically, she plans to apply to occupational therapy school and eventually wants to get a doctoral in occupational therapy.
Nia Washington – Junior (Basketball)
Hometown:Â Stafford, Va.
Major:Â Biology
Washington has appeared in six games, and played a season-high 17 minutes against North Dakota, tallying two points, five rebounds and four assists in a Cyclone win. Her career goal is to become a forensic scientist and work in a forensic crime lab. She has been named to the Academic All-Rook Team (2017) and Academic All-Big 12 First Team (2018) during her time at Iowa State.
Tripp Kinney – Junior (Golf)
Hometown:Â Waukee, Iowa
Major:Â Finance
Tripp Kinney was the runner-up medalist at the Windon Memorial this fall. He tied his career low with a three-day total of 207 as he paced the Cyclones to a third-place finish as a team. Kinney is second on the team in stroke average (70.67) and is ranked No. 94 nationally by Golfstat. His career goal to work at a mutual fund company some day.
Keontae Jones – Sophomore (Football)
Hometown:Â Cincinnati, Ohio
Major:Â Pre-Business
Jones has appeared in two games so far during his sophomore campaign for the Iowa State football team. Jones logged a tackle in Iowa State's 27-14 win over Akron and also played in the Cyclones' game at TCU. After college, Jones hopes to own a gym someday to train all types of athletes.
Merin Mundt – Junior (Soccer)
Hometown:Â Burlington, Wis.
Major:Â Software Engineering
Mundt appeared in 19 matches, including 10 starts, as a junior. She scored the second goal of her career at UMKC and also dished out an assist in a 2-2 draw at TCU. During the month of November, Service Participation for November, Mundt participated in the following service activities: ExerCYse Time (playing with kids to promote physical activity), Salvation Army Food Truck Unloading, Winter Weatherization Blitz, Cookie Decorating with Special Olympics, Adopt-a-Family Holiday Giving Project
Student-athlete development staff members who oversee each sport submit nominations, and the staff votes on the monthly winner.
