MARQUETTE, Mich. - Minnie Bittell of Northern Michigan lacrosse is a recipient of the GLIAC Commissioner's Award, announced by the league on Thursday. 

The awards are presented after the Fall, Winter, and Spring athletic seasons to six female and six male student-athletes that excel both in the classroom and on the fields of play. All grade-point averages are based on a 4.0 scale. Bittell holds a 3.58 GPA and is a public Relations & spanish major, minoring in accounting.

Bittell rewrote the record books for the program during the 2023 season. The Minnetonka, Minnesota native became the program's all-time leader in career goals (147), assists (61), and points (208) after compiling 56 goals, 19 assists, and 75 points throughout this season, all single-season program records. Bittell's leadership helped lead the Green and Gold to the most wins in program history, its first GLIAC Tournament win, and first GLIAC Championship appearance. Bittell tied her single-game career-high with six goals and set a career-high with nine points against Concordia St. Paul to advance to the GLIAC Championship game and her 9-point game was also single-game high point across the GLIAC this season. She has been named to the All-GLIAC First Team each of the past three seasons and named to the All-GLIAC Tournament Team in 2023. 

Majoring in Public Relations, Bittell also got it done in the classroom, making the GLIAC All-Academic Team in 2022 and then earning a spot on the Academic Excellence Team in 2023 after a 4.0 GPA in the 2022-23 winter semester.

Bittell joins Ondrej Zach of Swim & Dive as honorees for Northern Michigan during the 2022-23 season.